https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/smart-news/RSS feed for Smart NewsenMon, 26 Oct 2026 21:30:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-fire-ravaged-the-eagles-nest-an-alpine-retreat-built-for-top-nazis-what-happens-next-180989757/Police have detained a 33-year-old German citizen in connection with the blaze, which gutted the infamous historic building. In recent years, the mountaintop guesthouse hosted a restaurant, beer garden and exhibit about the site's dark pastMon, 26 Oct 2026 21:30:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-fire-ravaged-the-eagles-nest-an-alpine-retreat-built-for-top-nazis-what-happens-next-180989757/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shamonda-virus-infected-and-killed-a-person-for-the-first-time-heres-what-to-know-about-the-pathogen-usually-found-in-livestock-180989756/The patient, a French man in his 60s with leukemia, died earlier this month. Health officials say the risk to the public is lowMon, 26 Oct 2026 19:25:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shamonda-virus-infected-and-killed-a-person-for-the-first-time-heres-what-to-know-about-the-pathogen-usually-found-in-livestock-180989756/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/art-museums-in-milwaukee-and-tampa-bay-are-betting-that-their-hometown-baseball-teams-will-win-the-world-series-the-wager-monet-paintings-180989753/As the Brewers take on the Rays in the Fall Classic, two art museums are engaged in a friendly bit of sports betting: The winning city (temporarily) gets a Monet from the other city's collectionMon, 26 Oct 2026 18:16:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/art-museums-in-milwaukee-and-tampa-bay-are-betting-that-their-hometown-baseball-teams-will-win-the-world-series-the-wager-monet-paintings-180989753/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/most-of-the-worlds-shallow-water-coral-reefs-have-been-deemed-critically-endangered-meaning-they-could-collapse-within-50-years-180989748/The first-ever global assessment of these vibrant underwater ecosystems paints a grim picture: Climate change projections put 96 percent of shallow-water reefs at the highest level of threatMon, 26 Oct 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/most-of-the-worlds-shallow-water-coral-reefs-have-been-deemed-critically-endangered-meaning-they-could-collapse-within-50-years-180989748/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-estimate-that-europes-scorching-summer-heat-killed-more-than-50000-people-in-urban-areas-180989745/The new research, which has not yet been peer-reviewed but was accepted for publication, suggests that climate change is responsible for two-thirds of the deathsMon, 26 Oct 2026 14:47:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-estimate-that-europes-scorching-summer-heat-killed-more-than-50000-people-in-urban-areas-180989745/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rule-breaking-is-contagious-just-a-few-extreme-troublemakers-can-turn-a-whole-group-into-rebels-study-suggests-180989731/Experiments with real participants—and digital twins based on them—show how a small number of bad apples can spoil the whole barrel. However, the research scenarios don't exactly mimic the real worldMon, 26 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rule-breaking-is-contagious-just-a-few-extreme-troublemakers-can-turn-a-whole-group-into-rebels-study-suggests-180989731/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-massive-mega-rare-monet-painting-is-now-the-most-expensive-artwork-ever-sold-at-auction-in-france-180989749/The Impressionist painted "Iris" a year or two before his death, at a time when his work was becoming increasingly abstract and falling out of favor with critics. Now, it’s considered a masterpiece ahead of its timeMon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-massive-mega-rare-monet-painting-is-now-the-most-expensive-artwork-ever-sold-at-auction-in-france-180989749/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-team-of-astronomers-thinks-they-have-identified-the-exact-night-sky-that-inspired-vincent-van-gogh-starry-Night-not-everyone-is-convinced-180989744/Very few night skies seen from the south of France during the summer of 1889 would match the scene on van Gogh's canvas. A new study argues that it could have been July 22Fri, 23 Oct 2026 20:41:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-team-of-astronomers-thinks-they-have-identified-the-exact-night-sky-that-inspired-vincent-van-gogh-starry-Night-not-everyone-is-convinced-180989744/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/for-the-first-time-scientists-trapped-an-elusive-antimatter-particle-and-contained-it-for-months-it-could-allow-them-to-test-an-enduring-physics-theory-180989738/The standard model of particle physics works really well, but it can't explain why the universe exists. Something is missing, and this trapped particle might hold a clue to the answerFri, 23 Oct 2026 18:59:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/for-the-first-time-scientists-trapped-an-elusive-antimatter-particle-and-contained-it-for-months-it-could-allow-them-to-test-an-enduring-physics-theory-180989738/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/immerse-yourself-in-the-cosmos-at-frank-lloyd-wrights-only-planetarium-recently-restored-to-its-former-glory-in-florida-180989743/Completed in 1958, the domed building is located on the campus of Florida Southern College, home to 13 Wright-designed buildings, the world's largest single-site collection of the architect's workFri, 23 Oct 2026 18:08:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/immerse-yourself-in-the-cosmos-at-frank-lloyd-wrights-only-planetarium-recently-restored-to-its-former-glory-in-florida-180989743/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-detect-the-oldest-fast-radio-burst-spewed-from-an-ancient-galaxy-just-three-billion-years-after-the-big-bang-180989730/The universe formed 13.8 billion years ago, so this far-traveled burst of radio waves can help scientists learn more about the early cosmos. However, researchers still aren't sure what produces these strange flashesFri, 23 Oct 2026 17:17:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-detect-the-oldest-fast-radio-burst-spewed-from-an-ancient-galaxy-just-three-billion-years-after-the-big-bang-180989730/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/conservationists-in-australia-celebrate-the-arrival-of-two-southern-cassowary-eggsthe-first-at-adelaide-zoo-in-34-years-180989739/Zoo staffers don’t know whether the bright green eggs are viable and will ultimately hatch into chicks. However, the eggs themselves are a major win, because breeding the birds in captivity is trickyFri, 23 Oct 2026 15:42:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/conservationists-in-australia-celebrate-the-arrival-of-two-southern-cassowary-eggsthe-first-at-adelaide-zoo-in-34-years-180989739/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-hoard-of-5500-viking-age-coins-archaeologists-in-norway-found-one-so-rare-that-they-already-consider-it-a-national-treasure-180989741/Fewer than 20 coins minted under Norwegian King Olaf II Haraldsson have ever been found. "We can almost imagine Olaf himself holding this coin in his hand," one researcher saysFri, 23 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-hoard-of-5500-viking-age-coins-archaeologists-in-norway-found-one-so-rare-that-they-already-consider-it-a-national-treasure-180989741/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-mysterious-medieval-manuscript-has-stumped-scholars-for-well-over-a-century-could-its-pages-have-been-bound-out-of-order-this-whole-time-180989737/A new study claims that the pages of the Voynich Manuscript, thought to be written by several different scribes in 16th-century Europe, alternate irregularly. It may change the way codebreakers approach the textThu, 22 Oct 2026 20:21:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-mysterious-medieval-manuscript-has-stumped-scholars-for-well-over-a-century-could-its-pages-have-been-bound-out-of-order-this-whole-time-180989737/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-in-four-cases-of-depression-could-be-caused-by-a-dysregulated-body-clock-study-says-180989736/Outside experts warn that more research is needed before "circadian depression" can be classified as a subtypeThu, 22 Oct 2026 18:15:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-in-four-cases-of-depression-could-be-caused-by-a-dysregulated-body-clock-study-says-180989736/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-claimed-a-blurry-object-on-apple-maps-was-very-likely-amelia-earharts-missing-plane-it-turned-out-to-be-a-collection-of-large-trees-180989734/A 17-person crew traveled to a remote atoll in the South Pacific to investigate the so-called Taraia Object. After surveying the site, the team announced that the anomaly was not a fragment of the long-lost Lockheed Electra aircraftThu, 22 Oct 2026 16:20:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-claimed-a-blurry-object-on-apple-maps-was-very-likely-amelia-earharts-missing-plane-it-turned-out-to-be-a-collection-of-large-trees-180989734/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-canadian-artist-jean-paul-riopelle-was-completely-absorbed-by-the-act-of-painting-his-abstract-works-finally-have-their-own-home-in-a-quebec-museum-180989735/Home to the world’s largest public collection of his artworks, a new pavilion at Quebec's Musée National des Beaux-Arts showcases the more than 50-year career of Riopelle, who was a key member of the avant-garde Automatistes movementThu, 22 Oct 2026 15:30:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-canadian-artist-jean-paul-riopelle-was-completely-absorbed-by-the-act-of-painting-his-abstract-works-finally-have-their-own-home-in-a-quebec-museum-180989735/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-1000-birds-were-killed-or-injured-around-chicago-during-a-single-weekend-180989729/On the evening of October 16, more than five million birds are estimated to have flown through Cook County, which includes Chicago. They were propelled by favorable winds brought by a cold frontThu, 22 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-1000-birds-were-killed-or-injured-around-chicago-during-a-single-weekend-180989729/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/arizona-otherworldly-wonderland-of-rocks-is-now-americas-newest-national-park-180989733/Chiricahua National Monument in southeastern Arizona is now Chiricahua National Park, the 64th national park in the United States. Its striking geologic landscape and biodiversity have drawn humans for thousands of yearsThu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/arizona-otherworldly-wonderland-of-rocks-is-now-americas-newest-national-park-180989733/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-may-have-solved-the-mystery-of-a-roman-sarcophagus-excavated-at-westminster-abbey-in-1869-180989732/New research suggests that the ancient coffin was repurposed in the 10th or 11th century to hold the remains of an abbot who had overseen the London monasteryWed, 21 Oct 2026 20:34:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-may-have-solved-the-mystery-of-a-roman-sarcophagus-excavated-at-westminster-abbey-in-1869-180989732/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/african-elephants-shape-the-savanna-ecosystem-and-continue-doing-so-long-after-theyve-died-study-suggests-180989718/At first, plants below an elephant carcass die. Soil microbes and plants grow back soon after, but only a few select species. Herbivores later come in to munch on the nutrient-rich greensWed, 21 Oct 2026 18:47:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/african-elephants-shape-the-savanna-ecosystem-and-continue-doing-so-long-after-theyve-died-study-suggests-180989718/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shanghais-audacious-new-opera-house-just-opened-its-doors-and-a-gravity-defying-staircase-to-the-public-180989726/The riverfront opera house is Shanghai's latest cultural statement. It features three performance halls and is designed to be accessible to everyone, not just ticket-holdersWed, 21 Oct 2026 17:50:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shanghais-audacious-new-opera-house-just-opened-its-doors-and-a-gravity-defying-staircase-to-the-public-180989726/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/where-exactly-were-the-first-humans-to-be-captured-in-a-photograph-standing-three-obsessed-filmmakers-solved-the-nearly-200-year-old-mystery-180989727/The sleuths spent two years digging into archives and building 3D models of 19th-century Paris. The location is now immortalized by a bronze plaque celebrating the historic site and the "poetic" early photographWed, 21 Oct 2026 16:29:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/where-exactly-were-the-first-humans-to-be-captured-in-a-photograph-standing-three-obsessed-filmmakers-solved-the-nearly-200-year-old-mystery-180989727/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/she-painted-first-known-self-portrait-an-artist-at-work-and-signed-it-nearly-500-years-ago-who-was-catharina-van-hemessen-180989724/Few women worked as professional artists in the 16th century. A new exhibition in Antwerp, Belgium, seeks to restore this Flemish painter to the pantheon of art history giantsWed, 21 Oct 2026 16:01:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/she-painted-first-known-self-portrait-an-artist-at-work-and-signed-it-nearly-500-years-ago-who-was-catharina-van-hemessen-180989724/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-snakes-can-cartwheel-away-from-danger-scientists-just-uncovered-how-the-slithering-creatures-perform-their-acrobatic-rolls-180989720/When they're rolling, some snakes belonging to the Pseudorabdion genus can reach top speeds of 3.8 to 8.3 miles per hour, according to a new studyWed, 21 Oct 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-snakes-can-cartwheel-away-from-danger-scientists-just-uncovered-how-the-slithering-creatures-perform-their-acrobatic-rolls-180989720/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-scientific-and-the-mundane-become-surprisingly-dazzling-when-viewed-through-a-microscope-from-neurons-to-ballpoint-pens-180989721/The Nikon Small World Competition has announced its photography winners for its 52nd annual contest. This comes weeks after its video winner was dethroned for use of generative A.I.Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-scientific-and-the-mundane-become-surprisingly-dazzling-when-viewed-through-a-microscope-from-neurons-to-ballpoint-pens-180989721/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-astronomers-identify-a-star-that-might-glow-green-new-research-highlights-the-strange-hues-white-dwarfs-can-take-on-180989719/White dwarf stars are too far from Earth to be observed directly. So, scientists reconstructed how they'd look to human eyes based on the wavelengths of light they emit and found a colorful array of objects that might appear yellow, purple or pinkWed, 21 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-astronomers-identify-a-star-that-might-glow-green-new-research-highlights-the-strange-hues-white-dwarfs-can-take-on-180989719/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-understand-social-divides-in-medieval-england-archaeologists-examined-tooth-enamel-from-lead-mining-communities-180989722/Some residents of the Peaks District in the 13th century may have experienced worse lead pollution than city-dwellers during the Industrial Revolution. Female skeletons showed higher lead levels and earlier ages of deathWed, 21 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-understand-social-divides-in-medieval-england-archaeologists-examined-tooth-enamel-from-lead-mining-communities-180989722/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rhode-island-man-grew-the-first-pumpkin-to-surpass-3000-pounds-the-gargantuan-gourd-is-the-largest-fruit-ever-180989723/On October 10, Ron Wallace took the pumpkin king crown with a 3,156-pounder. The previous record—a respectable, nearly 2,857-pound pumpkin—was set just a week earlier by British grower Ian PatonTue, 20 Oct 2026 21:20:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rhode-island-man-grew-the-first-pumpkin-to-surpass-3000-pounds-the-gargantuan-gourd-is-the-largest-fruit-ever-180989723/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sick-corals-can-heal-with-the-help-of-a-magic-touch-from-healthy-ones-offering-hope-for-heat-damaged-marine-ecosystems-180989693/A coral is often a colony of tiny, genetically identical animals. New research suggests that when a bleached coral fragment comes into physical contact with a colorful, thriving clone, the pale one can revive within weeksTue, 20 Oct 2026 18:56:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sick-corals-can-heal-with-the-help-of-a-magic-touch-from-healthy-ones-offering-hope-for-heat-damaged-marine-ecosystems-180989693/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-vast-new-database-shows-how-britain-built-a-global-empire-by-trading-goods-like-coal-wine-and-wood-closer-to-home-180989717/Using AI to comb through hundreds of thousands of handwritten pages of port records, historians have constructed an interactive map of Britain’s maritime trading routes. Even as it expanded in Asia and the Americas, Britain's commerce with Europe remained overwhelmingTue, 20 Oct 2026 18:34:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-vast-new-database-shows-how-britain-built-a-global-empire-by-trading-goods-like-coal-wine-and-wood-closer-to-home-180989717/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-tallest-trees-seem-to-struggle-to-make-their-own-food-during-heat-waves-leaving-them-vulnerable-as-the-world-warms-180989714/Coast redwoods, which grow only from central California to southern Oregon, slow photosynthesis when temperatures ramp up, according to a new study. Scientists worry about the towering plants' future amid climate changeTue, 20 Oct 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-tallest-trees-seem-to-struggle-to-make-their-own-food-during-heat-waves-leaving-them-vulnerable-as-the-world-warms-180989714/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-dog-learned-to-sniff-out-a-slimy-marine-invader-called-sea-vomit-a-skill-that-earned-her-the-animal-of-the-year-award-180989706/Sgiath, a 6-year-old Labrador from the Scottish Highlands, received the honor from the International Fund for Animal Welfare. She's believed to be the first pup trained to hunt for the invasive carpet sea squirt, which is threatening marine life along the British coast and elsewhereTue, 20 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-dog-learned-to-sniff-out-a-slimy-marine-invader-called-sea-vomit-a-skill-that-earned-her-the-animal-of-the-year-award-180989706/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-searching-for-evidence-of-a-norse-church-in-greenland-have-found-the-smoking-gu-near-erik-the-reds-settlement-180989716/The site was first identified as a possible church decades ago, but researchers did not confirm that hunch until they found human remains there this summer. It could offer another clue to the Viking's unexplained 15th-century disappearanceTue, 20 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-searching-for-evidence-of-a-norse-church-in-greenland-have-found-the-smoking-gu-near-erik-the-reds-settlement-180989716/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-burning-of-this-french-city-hall-was-a-catastrophe-for-heritage-tragically-reminiscent-of-the-notre-dame-fire-180989711/French authorities say that the Limoges city hall, built in the late 19th century and celebrated as an architectural gem, was the victim of an arson attack amid mass protests in France over the weekendMon, 19 Oct 2026 21:13:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-burning-of-this-french-city-hall-was-a-catastrophe-for-heritage-tragically-reminiscent-of-the-notre-dame-fire-180989711/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-dont-know-how-mars-acquired-its-two-moons-japan-just-launched-a-historic-space-mission-that-will-fetch-samples-to-find-out-180989713/The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's spacecraft is expected to reach the Martian system in August 2027 and return samples from the moon Phobos to Earth in 2031Mon, 19 Oct 2026 19:41:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-dont-know-how-mars-acquired-its-two-moons-japan-just-launched-a-historic-space-mission-that-will-fetch-samples-to-find-out-180989713/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-a-19th-century-scottish-landowner-blocked-a-public-footpath-locals-rebelled-now-archaeologists-have-unearthed-parts-of-his-controversial-wall-180989712/The rebellion against "Harvie’s Dyke," a pair of stone walls erected in the 1820s, was a triumph for the workers and middle classes of Glasgow, who used riots, boycotts and lawsuits to win back access to the River ClydeMon, 19 Oct 2026 19:17:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-a-19th-century-scottish-landowner-blocked-a-public-footpath-locals-rebelled-now-archaeologists-have-unearthed-parts-of-his-controversial-wall-180989712/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earths-true-north-and-south-poles-have-wandered-four-times-over-the-past-320-million-years-study-suggests-180989698/The phenomenon, which involves the geographic poles, is distinct from when the magnetic poles move. The planet's solid crust and molten mantle occasionally shift and subsequently reorient themselves during what's called true polar wanderMon, 19 Oct 2026 15:01:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earths-true-north-and-south-poles-have-wandered-four-times-over-the-past-320-million-years-study-suggests-180989698/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-colorados-wildlife-mitigation-efforts-including-the-largest-animal-crossing-overpass-in-north-america-are-making-everyone-safer-180989704/Animals can now cross a dangerous stretch of Interstate 25 thanks to new infrastructure, including fences, underpasses and a massive overpass, which has led to a 91 percent reduction in wildlife-vehicle collisionsMon, 19 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-colorados-wildlife-mitigation-efforts-including-the-largest-animal-crossing-overpass-in-north-america-are-making-everyone-safer-180989704/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-farmer-in-egypt-stumbled-upon-a-pink-stone-and-called-the-authorities-they-found-the-remains-of-two-colossal-statues-of-ramses-ii-beneath-the-property-180989708/Archaeologists recovered the head of one statue that might have measured nearly 28 feet tall. It could point to a major building site commissioned by the pharaohMon, 19 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-farmer-in-egypt-stumbled-upon-a-pink-stone-and-called-the-authorities-they-found-the-remains-of-two-colossal-statues-of-ramses-ii-beneath-the-property-180989708/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rembrandt-turned-ancient-myths-into-supremely-human-works-of-art-an-upcoming-exhibition-traces-the-inspiration-he-took-from-antiquity-180989705/"Rembrandt and the Ancients" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art will unpack an "underexplored but vital" part of the Dutch master's career, putting his paintings and drawings in conversation with the antecedents that inspired themFri, 16 Oct 2026 20:16:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rembrandt-turned-ancient-myths-into-supremely-human-works-of-art-an-upcoming-exhibition-traces-the-inspiration-he-took-from-antiquity-180989705/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/legend-has-it-that-this-roman-emperor-established-camp-wales-newly-discovered-fort-may-offer-proof-that-it-really-existed-180989702/An archaeologist has uncovered an ancient fortification linked to Magnus Maximus, a fourth-century ruler who is immortalized in the medieval "Mabinogion" stories as Macsen WledigFri, 16 Oct 2026 18:51:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/legend-has-it-that-this-roman-emperor-established-camp-wales-newly-discovered-fort-may-offer-proof-that-it-really-existed-180989702/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wildlife-experts-stunned-to-find-that-bird-flu-killed-jackie-the-beloved-internet-famous-bald-eagle-180989703/Jackie died in August after receiving weeks of intensive care at the Ojai Raptor Center in California. The necropsy results are surprising, given that Jackie's symptoms were unusual for bird flu and there is no ongoing outbreak among bald eaglesFri, 16 Oct 2026 18:23:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wildlife-experts-stunned-to-find-that-bird-flu-killed-jackie-the-beloved-internet-famous-bald-eagle-180989703/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/madrids-renewed-and-expanded-sorolla-museum-lets-the-paintings-of-the-spanish-master-of-light-reemerge-into-public-view-180989701/Dedicated to the works of Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, the museum is centered around his historic home and studio. The first phase of its yearslong renovation is complete, featuring expanded exhibition spacesFri, 16 Oct 2026 18:01:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/madrids-renewed-and-expanded-sorolla-museum-lets-the-paintings-of-the-spanish-master-of-light-reemerge-into-public-view-180989701/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-have-been-linked-with-myriad-human-health-problems-scientists-may-have-finally-figured-out-how-they-harm-the-body-180989694/Lab experiments suggest that tiny bits of plastic can react with water inside us to produce highly reactive molecules. They can lead to damaging oxidative stress and inflammationFri, 16 Oct 2026 17:03:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-have-been-linked-with-myriad-human-health-problems-scientists-may-have-finally-figured-out-how-they-harm-the-body-180989694/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/small-dogs-tend-to-live-longer-than-big-dogs-scientists-say-they-might-finally-know-why-and-it-goes-to-the-molecular-level-180989695/Larger breeds like Great Danes seem to accumulate changes to chemical tags on their DNA more quickly than tinier breeds, such as chihuahuas. These alterations allow potentially harmful 'jumping genes' to move around their genomesFri, 16 Oct 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/small-dogs-tend-to-live-longer-than-big-dogs-scientists-say-they-might-finally-know-why-and-it-goes-to-the-molecular-level-180989695/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-animal-looked-like-a-platapys-otter-hybrid-its-providing-clues-about-the-origins-of-mammalian-suckling-and-swallowing-180989666/The roughly two- to four-pound predator lived alongside dinosaurs some 165 million years ago. A fossil found in northern China shows the strange creature had a surprisingly modern throat structureFri, 16 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-animal-looked-like-a-platapys-otter-hybrid-its-providing-clues-about-the-origins-of-mammalian-suckling-and-swallowing-180989666/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-monumental-18th-century-portrait-of-a-young-polynesian-man-a-supreme-work-of-art-visits-the-us-for-the-first-time-180989699/The massive "Portrait of Mai" depicts the first Pacific Islander to visit Britain, a young man who became a quasi-celebrity in the 1770s after joining the expedition of explorer James CookFri, 16 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-monumental-18th-century-portrait-of-a-young-polynesian-man-a-supreme-work-of-art-visits-the-us-for-the-first-time-180989699/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/its-official-timekeepers-have-gotten-rid-of-the-leap-second-and-introduced-the-leap-hour-instead-180989685/Since 1972, experts have added 27 seconds to Coordinated Universal Time to keep it aligned with Earth's rotation, but it has been an imperfect fixThu, 15 Oct 2026 20:43:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/its-official-timekeepers-have-gotten-rid-of-the-leap-second-and-introduced-the-leap-hour-instead-180989685/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/on-an-island-outside-paris-a-sprawling-contemporary-arts-center-aptly-called-large-prepares-to-open-its-doors-180989690/The landmark institution’s first exhibition pays homage to a historic Renault automobile plant that once operated on the Île Seguin in the Seine River. "The project called for a great deal of perseverance," one official saysThu, 15 Oct 2026 20:19:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/on-an-island-outside-paris-a-sprawling-contemporary-arts-center-aptly-called-large-prepares-to-open-its-doors-180989690/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-kept-a-diary-in-the-trenches-of-world-war-i-a-child-found-it-at-the-dump-decades-later-pierced-by-a-bullet-and-stained-with-blood-180989696/Corporal Claude Nuttall recorded his wartime experiences in the diary. Now, after decades of research, a museum curator is telling the soldier's story in a new bookThu, 15 Oct 2026 19:41:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-kept-a-diary-in-the-trenches-of-world-war-i-a-child-found-it-at-the-dump-decades-later-pierced-by-a-bullet-and-stained-with-blood-180989696/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/venetian-artist-canaletto-merged-fantasy-and-architectural-detail-in-this-previously-unseen-sketch-heading-to-auction-this-month-180989692/The 18th-century painter was a key practitioner of "capriccio" artworks, which blended scenes of everyday life with bold, out-of-place structures. This work was not known to exist for centuries and could now fetch up to $80,000Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:03:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/venetian-artist-canaletto-merged-fantasy-and-architectural-detail-in-this-previously-unseen-sketch-heading-to-auction-this-month-180989692/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-detailed-martian-rover-photograph-highlights-mysterious-cliffs-on-the-edge-of-one-of-mars-mountains-180989675/These crags don't match the rest of the mountain, and scientists don't know how they formedThu, 15 Oct 2026 16:50:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-detailed-martian-rover-photograph-highlights-mysterious-cliffs-on-the-edge-of-one-of-mars-mountains-180989675/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/londons-oldest-restaurant-frequented-by-monarchs-and-pop-stars-alike-is-a-site-of-living-history-now-its-protected-by-the-national-trust-for-generations-to-come-180989688/Rules, a historic restaurant where the likes of Charles Dickens and Madonna have dined, is changing hands for only the fourth time in over 200 years. Visitors can see artifact-covered walls and indulge in rich British cuisineThu, 15 Oct 2026 16:24:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/londons-oldest-restaurant-frequented-by-monarchs-and-pop-stars-alike-is-a-site-of-living-history-now-its-protected-by-the-national-trust-for-generations-to-come-180989688/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wildlife-biologists-start-vaccinating-shy-albatross-by-hand-taking-aim-at-the-spread-of-avian-flu-in-tasmania-180989684/If all goes to plan, officials hope to vaccinate up to 100 of the large seabirds on Albatross Island, giving each two doses of the vaccine. Afterward, they plan to keep tabs on the birds using remote cameras and follow-up visitsThu, 15 Oct 2026 15:21:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wildlife-biologists-start-vaccinating-shy-albatross-by-hand-taking-aim-at-the-spread-of-avian-flu-in-tasmania-180989684/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/birds-in-their-pants-two-men-accused-of-smuggling-21-avians-after-miami-airport-bust-180989670/Customs officers say they found the creatures hidden in the men's clothes after they touched down on separate flights from Cuba, and it's unclear whether the two incidents are related. Wildlife trafficking is the world's fourth-largest form of organized crimeThu, 15 Oct 2026 14:52:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/birds-in-their-pants-two-men-accused-of-smuggling-21-avians-after-miami-airport-bust-180989670/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/construction-work-on-the-north-dakota-governors-residence-accidentally-unearthed-seven-coffins-dating-back-to-the-states-early-settlement-180989686/The cemetery site was established in 1872, when the state capital Bismarck was a small frontier community called Edwinton. Most, but not all, of its gravesites were exhumed five years later to make way for a railroadThu, 15 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/construction-work-on-the-north-dakota-governors-residence-accidentally-unearthed-seven-coffins-dating-back-to-the-states-early-settlement-180989686/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-stunning-winners-of-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-contest-capturing-the-splendor-and-drama-of-nature-180989681/These 19 recognized images highlight the diversity across our planet and the value in appreciating and protecting the natural worldWed, 14 Oct 2026 20:50:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-stunning-winners-of-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-contest-capturing-the-splendor-and-drama-of-nature-180989681/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-contender-for-the-worlds-oldest-shipwreck-has-been-discovered-off-the-coast-of-turkey-its-ancient-cargo-is-a-time-capsule-from-4700-years-ago-180989682/The ship was likely transporting huge jars of olive oil or wine across the Mediterranean when it sank to the seafloor. One archaeologist "could not believe how much" residue remained insideWed, 14 Oct 2026 19:20:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-contender-for-the-worlds-oldest-shipwreck-has-been-discovered-off-the-coast-of-turkey-its-ancient-cargo-is-a-time-capsule-from-4700-years-ago-180989682/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-vincent-van-gogh-painting-has-not-been-seen-in-public-for-over-60-years-it-is-now-poised-to-set-a-record-at-an-upcoming-auction-180989680/The Dutch Post-Impressionist painted "Chestnut Trees in Blossom" during the highly productive yet tragic final months of his life. It is heading to auction as part of a "legendary" private collection which also includes works from Cézanne and RenoirWed, 14 Oct 2026 17:28:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-vincent-van-gogh-painting-has-not-been-seen-in-public-for-over-60-years-it-is-now-poised-to-set-a-record-at-an-upcoming-auction-180989680/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-recently-stolen-renoir-paintings-were-found-hidden-behind-a-cinderblock-wall-french-police-used-dna-evidence-and-vehicle-tracking-to-crack-the-case-180989678/The bungled heist took place at the Renoir Museum on the French Riviera in September. French authorities made six arrests and believe they prevented another "imminent" theft, possibly at a nearby modern art museumWed, 14 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-recently-stolen-renoir-paintings-were-found-hidden-behind-a-cinderblock-wall-french-police-used-dna-evidence-and-vehicle-tracking-to-crack-the-case-180989678/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-in-egypt-discover-a-mud-brick-tomb-featuring-a-heartbreaking-elegy-to-an-ancient-mans-father-180989677/The 19-line poem was inscribed on a stone slab in the Bir al-Shaghala necropolis. The lament "is a highly literary and original epigram," a scholar saysWed, 14 Oct 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-in-egypt-discover-a-mud-brick-tomb-featuring-a-heartbreaking-elegy-to-an-ancient-mans-father-180989677/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mourners-laced-an-ancient-sippy-cup-in-a-roman-toddlers-grave-it-may-have-been-meant-to-sustain-the-child-on-the-journey-to-the-afterlife-180989673/Fragments of the spouted cup, known as a "tettina," were unearthed in England over a decade ago. It has recently been restored and put on display for the first timeTue, 13 Oct 2026 19:44:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mourners-laced-an-ancient-sippy-cup-in-a-roman-toddlers-grave-it-may-have-been-meant-to-sustain-the-child-on-the-journey-to-the-afterlife-180989673/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-family-of-barn-owls-has-moved-into-new-york-citys-upper-west-side-perhaps-the-first-to-nest-in-manhattan-in-modern-history-180989674/The feathered residents have attracted lots of attention, as their species is considered an extremely rare sight in the cityTue, 13 Oct 2026 19:25:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-family-of-barn-owls-has-moved-into-new-york-citys-upper-west-side-perhaps-the-first-to-nest-in-manhattan-in-modern-history-180989674/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-of-the-worlds-largest-chinstrap-penguin-colonies-is-shrinking-fast-180989676/Zavodovski Island, a remote, uninhabited volcanic island between South America and Antarctica, lost 63 percent of its chinstrap penguins between 2011 and 2025, according to a new studyTue, 13 Oct 2026 19:23:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-of-the-worlds-largest-chinstrap-penguin-colonies-is-shrinking-fast-180989676/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-an-american-bomber-crashed-into-an-english-moor-during-world-war-II-a-corporal-was-declared-missing-in-action-archaeologists-have-now-revived-the-search-for-his-remains-180989672/Corporal Clarence Watson was among 10 American airmen aboard a B-24H Liberator when it crashed under foggy conditions. The crew was training for Operation Carpetbagger, a top-secret effort to fly deep into Nazi-occupied EuropeTue, 13 Oct 2026 17:58:31 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-an-american-bomber-crashed-into-an-english-moor-during-world-war-II-a-corporal-was-declared-missing-in-action-archaeologists-have-now-revived-the-search-for-his-remains-180989672/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-unprecedented-trove-of-ancient-wooden-tools-uncovered-at-a-rock-shelter-in-spain-show-neanderthals-were-skilled-woodworkers-180989668/Wooden objects usually decompose quickly, but periodic flooding and minerals in the water helped preserve those at a site called Abric Romaní. Archaeologists documented nearly 600 wooden objects—or their imprints—and 13 were clearly shaped by human handsTue, 13 Oct 2026 17:00:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-unprecedented-trove-of-ancient-wooden-tools-uncovered-at-a-rock-shelter-in-spain-show-neanderthals-were-skilled-woodworkers-180989668/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-the-help-of-family-wealth-and-instagram-gen-z-is-spending-big-in-the-art-market-180989664/According to a new survey, high-net-worth 20-somethings are emerging as the most active members of the global art trade, outspending other generations by wide margins. Their habits are changing how the art world worksTue, 13 Oct 2026 15:19:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-the-help-of-family-wealth-and-instagram-gen-z-is-spending-big-in-the-art-market-180989664/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-sardinian-village-might-be-a-new-blue-zone-and-could-hold-the-secrets-to-female-longevity-180989660/In Bolotana, a town on the Italian island with about 2,300 residents, women who reach the age of 70 are about three times as likely to live to 100 than women in the United States, according to a new studyTue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-sardinian-village-might-be-a-new-blue-zone-and-could-hold-the-secrets-to-female-longevity-180989660/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/volunteers-are-helping-unearth-one-of-englands-oldest-leprosy-hospitals-giving-a-glimpse-into-how-victims-of-the-disease-were-treated-in-medieval-times-180989665/Researchers believe that the Hospital of the Holy Innocents, founded in the 11th or 12th century, may have had "little houses with a little yard" for up to 20 people with leprosy. "You’d need to have resources to get in here," one archaeologist says.Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:13:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/volunteers-are-helping-unearth-one-of-englands-oldest-leprosy-hospitals-giving-a-glimpse-into-how-victims-of-the-disease-were-treated-in-medieval-times-180989665/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-industrialization-gut-our-microbiomes-a-new-study-on-rural-foraging-communities-in-south-america-and-africa-hints-the-answer-is-yes-180989658/Two groups—the Tsimane forager-horticulturists in Bolivia and the Hadza hunter-gatherers in Tanzania—remarkably share more than 1,200 gut microbe species. However, around 60 percent of them are rare or absent in people living in industrialized places, according to researchersTue, 13 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-industrialization-gut-our-microbiomes-a-new-study-on-rural-foraging-communities-in-south-america-and-africa-hints-the-answer-is-yes-180989658/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-five-adorable-newborn-cheetah-cubs-grow-on-a-livestream-from-the-smithsonians-conservation-biology-institute-180989669/The healthy and active babies are being cared for by first-time mother Zura, and the public can keep up with their antics through an online cheetah cub camFri, 09 Oct 2026 21:05:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-five-adorable-newborn-cheetah-cubs-grow-on-a-livestream-from-the-smithsonians-conservation-biology-institute-180989669/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-digital-swamp-coming-to-new-york-citys-moma-is-made-to-envelop-you-in-nature-with-the-help-of-cutting-edge-technology-180989652/"Wetland" is the latest installation of a high-tech traveling exhibition designed by Danish artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen. It recreates the overlooked ecosystem with the help of folklore, soundscapes and video game softwareFri, 09 Oct 2026 20:39:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-digital-swamp-coming-to-new-york-citys-moma-is-made-to-envelop-you-in-nature-with-the-help-of-cutting-edge-technology-180989652/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/raised-in-apartheid-south-africa-2026-nobel-peace-prize-winner-navi-pillay-is-one-of-the-worlds-leading-human-rights-jurists-180989667/When Pillay learned she had won the award, she was in the same courtroom where the Nuremberg Trials held Nazi war criminals to account. Her legal career has been dedicated to fighting against human rights abuses and mass atrocitiesFri, 09 Oct 2026 18:53:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/raised-in-apartheid-south-africa-2026-nobel-peace-prize-winner-navi-pillay-is-one-of-the-worlds-leading-human-rights-jurists-180989667/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-took-a-cheek-swab-from-the-worlds-oldest-tortoise-his-dna-could-reveal-hints-to-longevity-180989663/Jonathan, an Aldabra giant tortoise, is about 194 years old and the oldest land animal alive today. Discoveries about his genetics could provide clues to extending lifespan in humansFri, 09 Oct 2026 17:28:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-took-a-cheek-swab-from-the-worlds-oldest-tortoise-his-dna-could-reveal-hints-to-longevity-180989663/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-one-of-a-kind-bronze-ring-offers-a-tantalizing-glimpse-at-the-lighthouse-of-alexandria-a-lost-wonder-of-the-ancient-world-180989661/Archaeologists in Egypt discovered the signet ring while conducting excavations on the island of Antirhodos, which once housed a lavish Ptolemaic palaceFri, 09 Oct 2026 15:21:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-one-of-a-kind-bronze-ring-offers-a-tantalizing-glimpse-at-the-lighthouse-of-alexandria-a-lost-wonder-of-the-ancient-world-180989661/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-century-ago-an-extinct-crocidilians-skull-was-found-in-the-rocks-that-built-the-sphinx-turns-out-it-belonged-to-a-new-species-180989641/The specimen was long mislabeled, according to a new study. Paleontologists identified it as a previously undescribed genus and species of gavial—a cousin of crocodiles and alligators—which they named after the ancient Egyptian god HorusFri, 09 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-century-ago-an-extinct-crocidilians-skull-was-found-in-the-rocks-that-built-the-sphinx-turns-out-it-belonged-to-a-new-species-180989641/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/septembers-ozone-hole-was-the-biggest-it-has-been-in-25-years-180989657/The size of the hole in the stratosphere's ozone layer fluctuates every year, but last month's, measuring 10.6 million square miles, was especially largeFri, 09 Oct 2026 14:55:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/septembers-ozone-hole-was-the-biggest-it-has-been-in-25-years-180989657/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-community-led-archaeology-dig-on-a-tiny-scottish-isle-has-unearthed-a-medieval-monastery-of-international-importance-180989654/The settlement, founded by an early Christian saint in the 500s, is "far more than a small island church." It may have played a larger role in the Christianization of Britain than historians once realizedFri, 09 Oct 2026 14:35:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-community-led-archaeology-dig-on-a-tiny-scottish-isle-has-unearthed-a-medieval-monastery-of-international-importance-180989654/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-south-american-birds-can-match-a-jackhammers-ear-splitting-volume-making-them-some-of-the-worlds-loudest-known-avians-180989629/The bare-throated bellbird and the red-legged seriema can produce sounds at amplitudes that exceed 120 decibels, which puts them on par with a trumpeting elephant or a chainsawFri, 09 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-south-american-birds-can-match-a-jackhammers-ear-splitting-volume-making-them-some-of-the-worlds-loudest-known-avians-180989629/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/just-inches-below-the-forest-floor-archaeologists-in-germany-unearthed-a-roman-temple-likely-dedicated-to-mars-the-god-of-war-180989650/Researchers found the structure's remains, as well as fragments of statues, while excavating near the Kapersburg fort, an ancient Roman military fortification on the outskirts of modern-day FrankfurtThu, 08 Oct 2026 19:32:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/just-inches-below-the-forest-floor-archaeologists-in-germany-unearthed-a-roman-temple-likely-dedicated-to-mars-the-god-of-war-180989650/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jmw-turner-painted-this-breathtaking-roman-landscape-nearly-200-years-ago-if-you-look-closely-you-can-still-see-his-fingerprints-180989659/The Romantic painter completed "Rome, From Mount Aventine" in the 1830s. It became his most expensive artwork in 2014, and it's expected to sell for another record-breaking sum in DecemberThu, 08 Oct 2026 18:56:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jmw-turner-painted-this-breathtaking-roman-landscape-nearly-200-years-ago-if-you-look-closely-you-can-still-see-his-fingerprints-180989659/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/margaret-hamilton-a-pioneering-software-engineer-who-made-the-first-human-moon-landing-possible-dies-at-90-180989653/Hamilton popularized the term "software engineer" and created computer programs that could anticipate problems. She received a Presidential Medal of Freedom and was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of FameThu, 08 Oct 2026 18:42:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/margaret-hamilton-a-pioneering-software-engineer-who-made-the-first-human-moon-landing-possible-dies-at-90-180989653/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/canadian-poet-anne-carson-brings-ancient-wisdom-to-modern-audiences-now-shes-a-nobel-laureate-in-literature-180989655/The 76-year-old poet, translator and essayist is renowned for her "bold and inventive" approach to blending poetry, prose and everything in between, leading to what the Swedish Academy calls "new forms for contemporary literature"Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:23:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/canadian-poet-anne-carson-brings-ancient-wisdom-to-modern-audiences-now-shes-a-nobel-laureate-in-literature-180989655/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/flu-season-started-early-in-parts-of-the-us-and-experts-say-you-should-consider-getting-the-seasonal-jab-asap-heres-what-to-know-180989639/The season usually starts in October or November. But some western states, including California, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii, began seeing a rise in flu cases as early as AugustThu, 08 Oct 2026 15:24:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/flu-season-started-early-in-parts-of-the-us-and-experts-say-you-should-consider-getting-the-seasonal-jab-asap-heres-what-to-know-180989639/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-pulled-off-another-shocking-art-heist-in-france-this-time-they-took-a-330-pound-bronze-book-cover-designed-by-salvador-dali-180989638/The volume, "Livre de l’Apocalypse," was a "masterpiece" collaboration of 14 artists and writers. It is one of the heaviest and most expensive books ever madeThu, 08 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-pulled-off-another-shocking-art-heist-in-france-this-time-they-took-a-330-pound-bronze-book-cover-designed-by-salvador-dali-180989638/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/african-elephants-often-produce-choruses-of-low-pitched-rumbles-now-scientists-are-using-ai-to-decode-the-joint-vocalizations-180989620/New research suggests the animals' overlapping calls serve as coordinated group messages and may contain additional information beyond what’s encoded in individual rumblesThu, 08 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/african-elephants-often-produce-choruses-of-low-pitched-rumbles-now-scientists-are-using-ai-to-decode-the-joint-vocalizations-180989620/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hundreds-of-british-college-students-clashed-with-wooden-swords-in-a-1966-re-enactment-of-the-battle-of-hastings-watch-the-rediscovered-time-capsule-of-lost-footage-180989635/A local videographer shot 300 reels of color film during the re-enactment, which shows "soldiers on foot getting remarkably close to horses" and "a rather relaxed attitude towards health and safety." The event sparked an annual tradition that continues to this dayThu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hundreds-of-british-college-students-clashed-with-wooden-swords-in-a-1966-re-enactment-of-the-battle-of-hastings-watch-the-rediscovered-time-capsule-of-lost-footage-180989635/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-chemists-win-nobel-prize-for-unraveling-a-mystery-of-molecular-handedness-helping-drugmakers-develop-safer-medications-180989643/Many molecules come in two mirrored forms—like left and right hands—but living organisms generally contain only one. However, chemists couldn't figure out how to make just one version in the lab. Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai share the prize for their work solving the puzzleWed, 07 Oct 2026 19:10:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-chemists-win-nobel-prize-for-unraveling-a-mystery-of-molecular-handedness-helping-drugmakers-develop-safer-medications-180989643/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stanley-kubricks-personal-archive-is-going-up-for-auction-including-the-ax-from-the-shining-and-the-star-child-from-2001-a-space-odyssey-180989632/The legendary director’s on-set chair, annotated scripts and props give a glimpse into the meticulous moviemaking process behind films like "Full Metal Jacket" and "Eyes Wide Shut"Wed, 07 Oct 2026 17:48:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stanley-kubricks-personal-archive-is-going-up-for-auction-including-the-ax-from-the-shining-and-the-star-child-from-2001-a-space-odyssey-180989632/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-may-have-directly-glimpsed-an-exoplanets-magnetic-field-for-the-first-time-building-hope-of-peering-deeper-into-faraway-worlds-180989633/Radio signals emanating from Beta Pictoris b suggest that this young and massive exoplanet has a strong magnetic field and intense auroral showWed, 07 Oct 2026 16:07:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-may-have-directly-glimpsed-an-exoplanets-magnetic-field-for-the-first-time-building-hope-of-peering-deeper-into-faraway-worlds-180989633/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/employee-of-a-russian-anti-plague-lab-dies-of-pneumonia-sparking-concerns-over-the-disease-behind-the-black-death-heres-what-to-know-180989630/No official cause of her pneumonia has been confirmed, and Russian health officials say that none of the deceased individual's close contacts tested positive for the plague. Pneumonic plague is a rare, deadly form of the diseaseWed, 07 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/employee-of-a-russian-anti-plague-lab-dies-of-pneumonia-sparking-concerns-over-the-disease-behind-the-black-death-heres-what-to-know-180989630/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/like-a-mythical-phoenix-this-planet-may-have-risen-from-the-ashes-of-a-dead-star-180989628/The “second-generation” world, predicted from telescope data, could be the first known planet of its kind, and it may shed light on the future of our own solar systemWed, 07 Oct 2026 12:22:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/like-a-mythical-phoenix-this-planet-may-have-risen-from-the-ashes-of-a-dead-star-180989628/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-ship-carrying-stacks-of-ancient-dishware-sank-off-the-coast-of-turkey-2100-years-ago-its-ceramic-cargo-is-still-remarkably-intact-180989626/Researchers believe that the vessel's plates and bowls were made in the ancient city of Rhosus, once praised by Roman statesman Cicero for its "fine pottery"Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-ship-carrying-stacks-of-ancient-dishware-sank-off-the-coast-of-turkey-2100-years-ago-its-ceramic-cargo-is-still-remarkably-intact-180989626/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-are-medieval-english-coins-doing-in-rome-they-could-be-rare-evidence-of-a-little-england-enclave-that-received-special-papal-privileges-180989625/Researchers argue that the tenth-century coins provide new evidence of a bustling English community located next to the Vatican that was permitted to use its own currencyTue, 06 Oct 2026 20:33:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-are-medieval-english-coins-doing-in-rome-they-could-be-rare-evidence-of-a-little-england-enclave-that-received-special-papal-privileges-180989625/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/physicist-wins-nobel-prize-for-developing-a-massive-ice-embedded-observatory-that-detects-ghostly-cosmic-particles-180989627/Francis Halzen of the University of Wisconsin-Madison led the effort to build the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica. His work birthed the field of neutrino astronomyTue, 06 Oct 2026 19:51:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/physicist-wins-nobel-prize-for-developing-a-massive-ice-embedded-observatory-that-detects-ghostly-cosmic-particles-180989627/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-brain-implant-allows-people-with-paralysis-to-speak-and-gesture-at-the-same-time-via-a-mind-controlled-virtual-avatar-180989604/The experimental technology is still in the early stage and was fully tested in just two participants. But it could one day help people with motor problems communicate with more nuance or help them control robotic prosthetic limbsTue, 06 Oct 2026 16:08:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-brain-implant-allows-people-with-paralysis-to-speak-and-gesture-at-the-same-time-via-a-mind-controlled-virtual-avatar-180989604/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-research-shows-that-these-ancient-egyptian-servants-may-have-been-brutally-sacrificed-and-buried-alongside-their-pharaohs-180989619/Forensic research has identified deliberate and fatal wounds on skulls from simple grave sites near First Dynasty royal tombs in Upper EgyptTue, 06 Oct 2026 15:09:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-research-shows-that-these-ancient-egyptian-servants-may-have-been-brutally-sacrificed-and-buried-alongside-their-pharaohs-180989619/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-diver-volunteered-to-clean-up-trash-from-a-wisconsin-lake-he-discovered-a-1000-year-old-dugout-canoe-at-the-bottom-instead-180989622/Indigenous communities near present-day Milwaukee likely hand-carved the white-oak vessel before shaping it with fire between roughly 992 and 1049 C.E.Tue, 06 Oct 2026 14:10:50 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-diver-volunteered-to-clean-up-trash-from-a-wisconsin-lake-he-discovered-a-1000-year-old-dugout-canoe-at-the-bottom-instead-180989622/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-2026-be-a-year-with-no-atlantic-hurricanes-weve-surprisingly-passed-their-peak-month-without-any-thanks-to-the-el-nino-180989617/Atlantic hurricane season runs from June through November, and the last time one passed by without an intense cyclone was more than 100 years ago. While the ongoing "super" El Niño seems to be suppressing storms in the Atlantic, the Pacific Ocean is being overactiveTue, 06 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-2026-be-a-year-with-no-atlantic-hurricanes-weve-surprisingly-passed-their-peak-month-without-any-thanks-to-the-el-nino-180989617/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-soldiers-were-buried-in-an-unmarked-grave-during-the-revolutionary-war-now-historians-finally-know-their-names-180989621/At a recent memorial ceremony, officials honored 28 Continental soldiers and at least 38 British soldiers who were buried in Wilmington, Delaware, nearly 250 years agoTue, 06 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-soldiers-were-buried-in-an-unmarked-grave-during-the-revolutionary-war-now-historians-finally-know-their-names-180989621/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trio-of-scientists-wins-medicine-nobel-for-a-method-to-turn-nerve-cells-on-and-off-with-light-helping-to-unravel-the-brains-mysteries-180989618/Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel received the 2026 award for their contributions to a revolutionary technique in neuroscience called optogenetics, which allows researchers to examine precise connections between neuronal activity and behavioral outcomes in live animalsMon, 05 Oct 2026 19:33:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trio-of-scientists-wins-medicine-nobel-for-a-method-to-turn-nerve-cells-on-and-off-with-light-helping-to-unravel-the-brains-mysteries-180989618/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-exhibition-reveals-how-hot-pink-togas-and-floral-perfumes-conveyed-power-in-the-roman-empire-180989615/The show in Copenhagen explores the relationship between fashion and influence in ancient RomeMon, 05 Oct 2026 19:00:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-exhibition-reveals-how-hot-pink-togas-and-floral-perfumes-conveyed-power-in-the-roman-empire-180989615/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/remarkable-fossil-of-a-feathered-winged-dinosaur-further-hints-that-flight-evolved-multiple-times-among-the-terrible-lizards-180989612/The fossil belonged to a category of dinosaurs called microraptors, which were bird-like but not ancestors of modern-day avians. A new study found that this group of ancient predators evolved similar anatomical adaptations to birds, but developed them in a different orderMon, 05 Oct 2026 15:53:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/remarkable-fossil-of-a-feathered-winged-dinosaur-further-hints-that-flight-evolved-multiple-times-among-the-terrible-lizards-180989612/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-impressive-winning-images-of-adorable-somber-and-commanding-canines-from-the-2026-dog-photography-awards-180989609/Posing pit bulls, stoic galgos and frisbee-chasing Aussies feature among the annual competition’s prize winnersMon, 05 Oct 2026 13:24:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-impressive-winning-images-of-adorable-somber-and-commanding-canines-from-the-2026-dog-photography-awards-180989609/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-roman-city-of-claudivium-disappeared-from-historical-records-almost-2000-years-ago-it-may-have-been-hiding-in-austria-180989614/Archaeologists have discovered a previously unknown settlement on the banks of the Danube RiverMon, 05 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-roman-city-of-claudivium-disappeared-from-historical-records-almost-2000-years-ago-it-may-have-been-hiding-in-austria-180989614/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/soldiers-sweeping-for-land-mines-in-south-korea-have-unearthed-the-countrys-oldest-gun-a-600-year-old-inscribed-bronze-tube-180989610/The artifact was found in 2023 during a metal detecting survey. Experts have been analyzing it since and recently confirmed its authenticityMon, 05 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/soldiers-sweeping-for-land-mines-in-south-korea-have-unearthed-the-countrys-oldest-gun-a-600-year-old-inscribed-bronze-tube-180989610/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/google-wants-to-send-data-centers-to-space-and-just-launched-a-satellite-to-test-whether-its-ambitious-plan-will-work-180989613/The tech giant aims to use the near-constant sunlight available in low-Earth orbit to power data centers. The experimental satellite, launched October 1, holds four computer chips that can run Google’s Gemini A.I. for 15 minutes at a timeFri, 02 Oct 2026 20:01:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/google-wants-to-send-data-centers-to-space-and-just-launched-a-satellite-to-test-whether-its-ambitious-plan-will-work-180989613/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dozens-of-curious-artworks-created-with-woven-strands-of-human-hair-come-to-new-yorks-morbid-anatomy-library-180989577/So-called hairworks were popularized during the Victorian era as a means of grieving the deceasedFri, 02 Oct 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dozens-of-curious-artworks-created-with-woven-strands-of-human-hair-come-to-new-yorks-morbid-anatomy-library-180989577/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-wild-lemurs-sing-just-like-opera-stars-widening-their-mouths-as-they-hit-the-high-notes-study-suggests-180989603/Scientists suspect this musical trait arose independently in humans and indris, which split from a common ancestor some 74 million years ago. Today, the lemurs make loud, haunting calls to communicate with one another in the dense forests of eastern MadagascarFri, 02 Oct 2026 14:34:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-wild-lemurs-sing-just-like-opera-stars-widening-their-mouths-as-they-hit-the-high-notes-study-suggests-180989603/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-two-new-species-of-sea-spider-in-the-pacific-northwest-and-they-look-like-they-came-straight-out-of-a-horror-movie-180989598/You don't need to worry about the critters coming after you, since they're only a fraction of an inch across. They join the roughly 1,400 known species of ocean-dwelling spidersFri, 02 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-two-new-species-of-sea-spider-in-the-pacific-northwest-and-they-look-like-they-came-straight-out-of-a-horror-movie-180989598/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-arson-investigation-is-underway-after-a-suspected-sensless-act-of-vandalism-destroys-a-newly-installed-benjamin-harrison-statue-180989605/The 3D-printed piece was created by students and faculty at Indiana University Indianapolis and had been installed on September 16Fri, 02 Oct 2026 13:33:31 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-arson-investigation-is-underway-after-a-suspected-sensless-act-of-vandalism-destroys-a-newly-installed-benjamin-harrison-statue-180989605/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-exhibition-spotlights-4500-years-of-broken-shot-up-and-degraded-artworks-to-explore-the-power-of-the-fragment-180989602/The show, on view in Florence and coming to D.C. next year, examines the history and impact of destroyed sculptures throughout time and across culturesFri, 02 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-exhibition-spotlights-4500-years-of-broken-shot-up-and-degraded-artworks-to-explore-the-power-of-the-fragment-180989602/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-hilarious-animal-shenanigans-captured-in-photos-and-videos-shortlisted-for-the-2026-nikon-comedy-wildlife-awards-180989600/From a sneezing moose to a real-life angry bird, this year's competition received a whopping more than 10,000 entries from 112 countriesThu, 01 Oct 2026 23:01:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-hilarious-animal-shenanigans-captured-in-photos-and-videos-shortlisted-for-the-2026-nikon-comedy-wildlife-awards-180989600/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-a-12-year-absence-alexander-calders-mammoth-last-sculpture-finally-returns-in-full-to-capitol-hill-180989601/Calder’s final work, “Mountains and Clouds,” was removed from the Hart Senate Office Building in 2014 over fears about its structural integrityThu, 01 Oct 2026 16:44:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-a-12-year-absence-alexander-calders-mammoth-last-sculpture-finally-returns-in-full-to-capitol-hill-180989601/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-beluga-whales-died-weeks-after-being-rescued-from-a-defunct-marine-park-in-canada-were-the-animals-too-sick-to-be-moved-180989597/They were among 30 whales transferred from the facility over the summer. It had faced multiple allegations of animal neglect and cruelty before closing in 2024Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:34:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-beluga-whales-died-weeks-after-being-rescued-from-a-defunct-marine-park-in-canada-were-the-animals-too-sick-to-be-moved-180989597/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-an-exciting-but-brutal-find-a-5000-year-old-arrow-emerges-from-norways-rapidly-melting-mountain-ice-180989599/Archaeologists discovered 48 prehistoric arrows during a recent three-week expedition in the mountains of JotunheimenThu, 01 Oct 2026 14:39:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-an-exciting-but-brutal-find-a-5000-year-old-arrow-emerges-from-norways-rapidly-melting-mountain-ice-180989599/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-this-years-chonky-champion-of-fat-bear-week-backpack-a-laid-back-20-year-old-male-whos-a-stoic-presence-on-the-river-180989595/The brown bear, who now weighs between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds after fattening up on salmon, earned his nickname as a cub. When he was little, he enjoyed riding on his mom's back as she swam across a riverThu, 01 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-this-years-chonky-champion-of-fat-bear-week-backpack-a-laid-back-20-year-old-male-whos-a-stoic-presence-on-the-river-180989595/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-female-pharaoh-an-old-photo-of-ancient-hieroglyphics-highlights-the-status-of-one-of-egypts-earliest-queens-researchers-say-180989594/The black-and-white photograph of a long-lost artifact depicts four serekhs, symbols of Egyptian rulers, and two of them, a recent study suggests, are hersThu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-female-pharaoh-an-old-photo-of-ancient-hieroglyphics-highlights-the-status-of-one-of-egypts-earliest-queens-researchers-say-180989594/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spacexs-giant-starship-rocket-reached-earth-orbit-on-its-first-try-but-engine-problems-forced-it-to-return-to-the-planet-early-180989596/Two aerospace companies are competing to create the lunar lander NASA uses when it returns humans to the moon's surface. But to reach our lunar companion, a spacecraft will first have to get to Earth orbitWed, 30 Sep 2026 20:30:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spacexs-giant-starship-rocket-reached-earth-orbit-on-its-first-try-but-engine-problems-forced-it-to-return-to-the-planet-early-180989596/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-enigmatic-chalk-drawing-rediscovered-in-a-private-italian-collection-has-been-identified-as-the-long-lost-work-of-edouard-manet-180989593/The sketch of a young girl, in the red chalk characteristic of Manet’s 1860s life studies, is thought to be linked to several of the artist’s paintingsWed, 30 Sep 2026 19:55:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-enigmatic-chalk-drawing-rediscovered-in-a-private-italian-collection-has-been-identified-as-the-long-lost-work-of-edouard-manet-180989593/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-saturns-moon-enceladus-host-alien-life-earth-microbes-can-live-in-its-simulated-environment-boosting-its-potential-habitability-180989589/Enceladus is covered in ice, but that layer might hide a subsurface ocean. Researchers have long wondered if the salty body of water has the right conditions to host life, and now, a team suggests that an Earthly, heat-loving organism could thrive thereWed, 30 Sep 2026 18:00:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-saturns-moon-enceladus-host-alien-life-earth-microbes-can-live-in-its-simulated-environment-boosting-its-potential-habitability-180989589/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shark-was-spotted-swimming-through-the-flooded-streets-of-new-jersey-during-the-noreaster-180989588/The creature has been identified as a smooth dogfish, a harmless species found throughout the western Atlantic Ocean. It wasn't the only animal caught in the chaos brought by the storm systemWed, 30 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shark-was-spotted-swimming-through-the-flooded-streets-of-new-jersey-during-the-noreaster-180989588/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/englands-beloved-sycamore-gap-tree-is-showing-signs-of-life-three-years-after-vandals-chopped-it-down-180989591/Numerous leafy shoots are now sprouting around the base of the tree’s stump, which is located near Hadrian’s Wall in northern EnglandWed, 30 Sep 2026 13:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/englands-beloved-sycamore-gap-tree-is-showing-signs-of-life-three-years-after-vandals-chopped-it-down-180989591/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-jane-austen-took-a-turn-about-the-ballroom-in-bath-ancient-roman-artifacts-were-hiding-beneath-her-feet-now-archaeologists-have-finally-found-them-180989592/Recent excavations at the Bath Assembly Rooms in England revealed Roman-era coins, roof tiles, pottery, glassware, a network of ditches and a fragment of a military helmetWed, 30 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-jane-austen-took-a-turn-about-the-ballroom-in-bath-ancient-roman-artifacts-were-hiding-beneath-her-feet-now-archaeologists-have-finally-found-them-180989592/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mri-scans-might-reveal-signs-of-alzheimers-disease-seven-years-before-a-telltale-marker-appears-in-the-brain-180989570/Not all researchers are convinced that the brain changes detected via MRI are robust enough to become a diagnostic tool. But the findings could help researchers better understand the mechanisms that drive the neurodegenerative diseaseTue, 29 Sep 2026 20:33:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mri-scans-might-reveal-signs-of-alzheimers-disease-seven-years-before-a-telltale-marker-appears-in-the-brain-180989570/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-one-of-romes-most-famed-and-neglected-villas-centuries-old-risque-frescoes-painted-over-by-nuns-have-reappeared-180989585/Nearly a year into a $40 million restoration of the Villa Silvestri Rivaldi, conservators are rediscovering and reviving 16th-century artTue, 29 Sep 2026 20:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-one-of-romes-most-famed-and-neglected-villas-centuries-old-risque-frescoes-painted-over-by-nuns-have-reappeared-180989585/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/anthropic-says-its-ai-discovered-a-new-enzyme-system-that-resembles-the-revolutionary-gene-editing-tool-crispr-180989578/Experts at the company don't know what the newfound system does, so its potential utility in biology—if any—remains unclear. But the work marks a major advancement because the A.I. made this discovery mostly on its ownTue, 29 Sep 2026 18:16:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/anthropic-says-its-ai-discovered-a-new-enzyme-system-that-resembles-the-revolutionary-gene-editing-tool-crispr-180989578/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-milwaukee-art-museum-just-returned-two-ceramics-made-by-enslaved-potter-david-drake-to-his-descendants-180989586/The two vessels, one of them a signed 1855 jar, are the latest to be reinstituted to Drake’s family, who are on a mission to acquire the works of their ancestorTue, 29 Sep 2026 18:07:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-milwaukee-art-museum-just-returned-two-ceramics-made-by-enslaved-potter-david-drake-to-his-descendants-180989586/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-heads-are-better-than-one-rare-double-headed-turtle-hatchling-discovered-on-cape-cod-180989579/The tiny diamondback terrapin was brought to a wildlife center on September 17. At the time, the creature weighed about as much as a nickelTue, 29 Sep 2026 13:33:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-heads-are-better-than-one-rare-double-headed-turtle-hatchling-discovered-on-cape-cod-180989579/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1884-gale-force-winds-ran-a-ship-aground-near-cape-code-now-the-noreaster-lashing-the-east-coast-may-have-uncovered-part-of-it-180989583/The wreckage could belong to the “Warren Sawyer,” a three-masted cargo schooner that foundered more than 140 years agoTue, 29 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1884-gale-force-winds-ran-a-ship-aground-near-cape-code-now-the-noreaster-lashing-the-east-coast-may-have-uncovered-part-of-it-180989583/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/centuries-ago-royals-dressed-up-their-dolls-to-share-latest-fashions-see-how-barbies-baby-dolls-and-other-tiny-trendsetters-have-inspired-designers-ever-since-180989580/A new exhibition at the Museum at FIT in New York City showcases more than 170 objects that trace the often-unexpected relationship between dolls and fashionMon, 28 Sep 2026 20:22:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/centuries-ago-royals-dressed-up-their-dolls-to-share-latest-fashions-see-how-barbies-baby-dolls-and-other-tiny-trendsetters-have-inspired-designers-ever-since-180989580/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-massive-deep-sea-roly-poly-can-go-years-without-food-thanks-to-a-huge-stomach-and-a-stolen-gene-study-suggests-180989562/The ancestors of the giant isopod Bathynomus jamesi—a seafloor-dwelling creature that resembles a huge pill bug—acquired the snippet of DNA from bacteria more than 16 million years ago, according to a new study. The gene helps the animal slow its metabolismMon, 28 Sep 2026 19:53:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-massive-deep-sea-roly-poly-can-go-years-without-food-thanks-to-a-huge-stomach-and-a-stolen-gene-study-suggests-180989562/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-the-2400-year-old-school-where-aristotle-taught-alexander-to-be-great-180989581/The latest excavation at Aristotle’s gymnasium in ancient Mieza has revealed ornate, mosaic-covered halls where researchers believe Alexander the Great learned his formative lessonsMon, 28 Sep 2026 19:49:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-the-2400-year-old-school-where-aristotle-taught-alexander-to-be-great-180989581/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/satellite-images-reveal-greenland-and-antarctica-have-lost-more-than-12-trillion-tons-of-ice-over-the-past-50-years-180989567/Most of the frozen water has vanished because glaciers have been flowing faster into the ocean, rather than because of surface melting of ice sheets, according to a new study. Researchers estimate the ice loss has raised the global sea level by more than one inchMon, 28 Sep 2026 15:36:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/satellite-images-reveal-greenland-and-antarctica-have-lost-more-than-12-trillion-tons-of-ice-over-the-past-50-years-180989567/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-fire-amoeba-a-newfound-blobby-organism-thats-defying-expectations-about-how-much-heat-complex-life-can-handle-180989557/The newly described species, found in Northern California's Lassen Volcanic National Park, can still reproduce at 145 degrees Fahrenheit and move around at 147 degrees, according to a new studyMon, 28 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-fire-amoeba-a-newfound-blobby-organism-thats-defying-expectations-about-how-much-heat-complex-life-can-handle-180989557/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-anomalies-have-been-detected-beyond-king-tuts-tomb-could-they-be-secret-passageways-leading-to-the-long-lost-remains-of-queen-nefertiti-180989576/Geophysical surveys provide new evidence for a theory that the Egyptian pharaoh was interred in the outer rooms of an existing burial complex. Researchers are trying to get approval to investigate for themselvesFri, 25 Sep 2026 21:08:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-anomalies-have-been-detected-beyond-king-tuts-tomb-could-they-be-secret-passageways-leading-to-the-long-lost-remains-of-queen-nefertiti-180989576/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-sea-turtles-were-spotted-nesting-on-the-us-west-coast-scientists-say-the-super-el-nino-could-have-brought-them-there-180989574/Two olive ridley turtles were found laying eggs on beaches in Southern California in September. In the Pacific Ocean, these reptiles normally nest farther south, often in Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and PanamaFri, 25 Sep 2026 20:24:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-sea-turtles-were-spotted-nesting-on-the-us-west-coast-scientists-say-the-super-el-nino-could-have-brought-them-there-180989574/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hitler-had-an-intense-mysterious-relationship-with-his-half-niece-new-research-suggests-his-alibi-for-her-murder-might-not-hold-up-180989572/Recently uncovered documents about the timing of Geli Raubal’s death cast new doubt on the Nazi leader’s alibi, which had been considered reasonably sound for nearly a centuryFri, 25 Sep 2026 19:07:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hitler-had-an-intense-mysterious-relationship-with-his-half-niece-new-research-suggests-his-alibi-for-her-murder-might-not-hold-up-180989572/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-new-stick-insect-species-have-been-discovered-in-australiaand-another-one-was-hiding-in-plain-sight-180989575/The new discoveries emphasize that scientists have a lot left to learn about insect diversity, even in areas with many observationsFri, 25 Sep 2026 19:03:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-new-stick-insect-species-have-been-discovered-in-australiaand-another-one-was-hiding-in-plain-sight-180989575/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-invent-a-digestible-paper-based-battery-that-can-power-swallowed-or-implanted-medical-devices-180989549/So far, the technology has been tested only in pigs. If it's successful in humans, it could one day power tools that monitor your health or deliver drugs or electrical currents inside the bodyFri, 25 Sep 2026 18:37:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-invent-a-digestible-paper-based-battery-that-can-power-swallowed-or-implanted-medical-devices-180989549/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-thousand-years-ago-julius-caesar-conquered-the-settlement-that-eventually-became-paris-archaeologists-may-have-just-found-it-180989569/While conducting excavations at a hospital on the Île de la Cité, in the Seine River, researchers discovered part of a wall that may have once protected Lutetia, the Gallic precursor to France’s capitalFri, 25 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-thousand-years-ago-julius-caesar-conquered-the-settlement-that-eventually-became-paris-archaeologists-may-have-just-found-it-180989569/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/where-did-bats-originate-huge-genetic-study-may-have-settled-the-longstanding-debate-and-rewritten-the-creatures-evolutionary-tree-180989568/The flying mammals likely arose 65 million years ago in Europe, before spreading to Africa and then the rest of the world, according to the new researchFri, 25 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/where-did-bats-originate-huge-genetic-study-may-have-settled-the-longstanding-debate-and-rewritten-the-creatures-evolutionary-tree-180989568/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-stunning-collection-of-stolen-greek-artifacts-spanning-5000-years-that-were-just-returned-to-greece-180989566/The antiquities were seized at the Metropolitan Museum of Art by investigators from the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr.Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-stunning-collection-of-stolen-greek-artifacts-spanning-5000-years-that-were-just-returned-to-greece-180989566/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/some-birdsongs-are-more-pleasing-to-human-ears-than-others-higher-pitched-complex-calls-tend-to-sound-more-beautiful-to-us-180989540/In a new study, more than 80 participants rated the pleasantness of vocalizations made by 123 European bird species. Researchers then looked at the acoustic qualities of the most—and least—liked songsThu, 24 Sep 2026 19:01:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/some-birdsongs-are-more-pleasing-to-human-ears-than-others-higher-pitched-complex-calls-tend-to-sound-more-beautiful-to-us-180989540/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-3000-year-old-warhorse-burial-and-a-ramses-ii-tablet-among-other-relics-have-been-discovered-in-an-ancient-egyptian-fortress-180989564/New excavations in the Nile Delta offer eye-opening clues about military and residential life in the New Kingdom eraThu, 24 Sep 2026 17:07:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-3000-year-old-warhorse-burial-and-a-ramses-ii-tablet-among-other-relics-have-been-discovered-in-an-ancient-egyptian-fortress-180989564/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-claude-monet-paint-the-same-scenes-over-and-over-again-the-impressionist-artist-was-obsessed-with-capturing-the-fleeting-nature-of-time-180989563/An upcoming exhibition at Tate Modern will feature more than 60 artworks created by Monet between the 1870s and 1920s. These pieces reveal how he documented changing light and weather conditionsThu, 24 Sep 2026 15:01:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-claude-monet-paint-the-same-scenes-over-and-over-again-the-impressionist-artist-was-obsessed-with-capturing-the-fleeting-nature-of-time-180989563/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-scorching-temperatures-brought-on-by-the-super-el-nino-could-kill-nearly-half-a-million-people-by-february-180989555/The predicted number, which includes deaths since June, likely represents an underestimate of total deaths. The heat could linger beyond February, and the climate swing could bring about other life-threatening conditions, including flooding, wildfire and infectious diseasesThu, 24 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-scorching-temperatures-brought-on-by-the-super-el-nino-could-kill-nearly-half-a-million-people-by-february-180989555/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-metal-detectorist-exploring-a-field-in-germany-was-stunned-to-discover-a-massive-hoard-of-roman-coins-180989561/Together, the 943 silver denarii span nearly 300 years of Roman history, from 148 B.C.E. to 124 or 125 C.E.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-metal-detectorist-exploring-a-field-in-germany-was-stunned-to-discover-a-massive-hoard-of-roman-coins-180989561/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-cubist-painting-with-a-mysterious-provenance-hung-in-the-art-institute-of-chicago-for-decades-now-the-museum-will-return-it-to-its-rightful-jewish-heirs-180989553/Infrared imaging links the 20th-century Jean Metzinger work to a collector whose pieces were forcibly auctioned under Nazi orders during World War IIWed, 23 Sep 2026 20:18:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-cubist-painting-with-a-mysterious-provenance-hung-in-the-art-institute-of-chicago-for-decades-now-the-museum-will-return-it-to-its-rightful-jewish-heirs-180989553/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-in-turkey-have-unearthed-an-ancient-fragment-inscribed-with-the-worlds-oldest-peace-treaty-180989554/The piece of a clay tablet is marked with Akkadian cuneiform, and its text belongs to the Kadesh Peace Treaty, created by ancient Egyptians and Hittites in the 13th century B.C.E.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:39:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-in-turkey-have-unearthed-an-ancient-fragment-inscribed-with-the-worlds-oldest-peace-treaty-180989554/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-otter-just-returned-to-new-york-citys-bronx-river-for-the-first-time-in-a-century-now-you-can-help-name-it-180989556/A trail camera photographed the animal earlier this summer, offering a hopeful sign that the once-polluted urban waterway is recovering after decades of restoration workWed, 23 Sep 2026 18:06:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-otter-just-returned-to-new-york-citys-bronx-river-for-the-first-time-in-a-century-now-you-can-help-name-it-180989556/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-boosting-mental-health-to-reducing-dementia-risk-heres-why-reading-is-extremely-good-for-you-according-to-science-180989548/Mounting evidence suggests that regularly cozying up with a book can increase brain and mental health, improve literacy and math skills, and even slow cognitive decline. What's more, fiction seems to have the added benefit of introducing readers to others' perspectivesWed, 23 Sep 2026 16:33:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-boosting-mental-health-to-reducing-dementia-risk-heres-why-reading-is-extremely-good-for-you-according-to-science-180989548/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-bubbles-a-dolphin-in-australia-that-chases-fish-until-they-barf-then-eats-their-upchucked-meals-180989547/Scientists recorded 11 instances of Bubbles successfully snacking this way. They mark some of the first detailed observations of kleptoparasitism, or food stealing, in cetaceans, the group of marine mammals that includes dolphins, whales and porpoisesWed, 23 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-bubbles-a-dolphin-in-australia-that-chases-fish-until-they-barf-then-eats-their-upchucked-meals-180989547/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experience-the-wonder-of-birds-with-these-11-winning-photos-from-the-bird-photographer-of-the-year-contest-180989552/From a greater sage-grouse performing a mating display to a tawny frogmouth making a funny face, these photographs capture the breathtaking diversity of the world’s avian speciesWed, 23 Sep 2026 13:22:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experience-the-wonder-of-birds-with-these-11-winning-photos-from-the-bird-photographer-of-the-year-contest-180989552/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-woman-who-lived-in-imperial-china-may-have-had-her-nose-cut-off-as-punishment-for-theft-or-adultery-180989551/Researchers found signs of healing on her 700-year-old skull, which suggests that she survived the painful sanction—and may even have gone on to wear a prosthesisWed, 23 Sep 2026 12:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-woman-who-lived-in-imperial-china-may-have-had-her-nose-cut-off-as-punishment-for-theft-or-adultery-180989551/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mercury-has-wrinkles-that-show-its-shrinking-now-scientists-say-the-planet-has-shriveled-far-more-than-we-previously-thought-180989532/A new study suggests that our solar system’s smallest planet has shrunk by up to 30 percent since its birth roughly 4.5 billion years agoTue, 22 Sep 2026 19:12:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mercury-has-wrinkles-that-show-its-shrinking-now-scientists-say-the-planet-has-shriveled-far-more-than-we-previously-thought-180989532/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/claude-monets-long-hidden-iris-is-about-to-become-the-most-expensive-painting-ever-auctioned-in-france-180989546/The artwork reflects the famed Impressionist’s later, abstract style. Sotheby’s estimates that it will sell for $25 million to $34 millionTue, 22 Sep 2026 19:12:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/claude-monets-long-hidden-iris-is-about-to-become-the-most-expensive-painting-ever-auctioned-in-france-180989546/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-800000-bees-worth-tens-of-thousands-of-dollars-have-been-stolen-in-sophisticated-heists-across-northern-australia-180989545/The recent spread of a bee-killing parasite has contributed to an uptick in brazen thefts, experts theorizeTue, 22 Sep 2026 17:38:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-800000-bees-worth-tens-of-thousands-of-dollars-have-been-stolen-in-sophisticated-heists-across-northern-australia-180989545/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-the-human-brain-might-be-made-of-two-distinct-nervous-systems-that-got-squished-together-180989539/Two separate types of progenitor cells give rise to the front and back of the organ, according to a new study. The findings can help researchers study human diseases that affect the hindbrain, since its nerve cells have previously been difficult—if not impossible—to make in the labTue, 22 Sep 2026 15:54:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-the-human-brain-might-be-made-of-two-distinct-nervous-systems-that-got-squished-together-180989539/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cameras-capture-adult-chimpanzees-passing-tools-and-know-how-to-their-young-teaching-important-skills-to-the-next-generation-180989538/Researchers recorded footage of wild chimps in Senegal showing youngsters how to use sticks to fish out ants and how to smash baobab fruit against rocks to open it, among other instances of instructionTue, 22 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cameras-capture-adult-chimpanzees-passing-tools-and-know-how-to-their-young-teaching-important-skills-to-the-next-generation-180989538/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-excavating-gravel-from-the-danube-river-dredged-up-a-2200-year-old-rusty-treasure-that-could-have-equipped-an-army-180989542/The cache comprises the remains of at least 500 iron bars, which were likely headed downstream to be forged into finished productsTue, 22 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-excavating-gravel-from-the-danube-river-dredged-up-a-2200-year-old-rusty-treasure-that-could-have-equipped-an-army-180989542/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-aztec-codex-detailing-the-rise-and-fall-of-tenochtitlan-returns-to-mexico-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-two-centuries-180989536/The artifact, among the most prized visual accounts of Aztec history, will be on display in Mexico City for three monthsMon, 21 Sep 2026 19:34:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-aztec-codex-detailing-the-rise-and-fall-of-tenochtitlan-returns-to-mexico-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-two-centuries-180989536/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/henry-viii-relied-on-this-courtier-to-enforce-his-orders-during-the-english-reformation-behind-the-scenes-the-tudor-politician-defied-his-king-by-secretly-saving-a-catholic-text-180989541/A newly discovered fragment suggests that John Gage preserved a 15th-century religious manuscript, keeping it "safe when he was meant to destroy books precisely like this one"Mon, 21 Sep 2026 19:08:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/henry-viii-relied-on-this-courtier-to-enforce-his-orders-during-the-english-reformation-behind-the-scenes-the-tudor-politician-defied-his-king-by-secretly-saving-a-catholic-text-180989541/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-brain-shrinks-as-we-age-and-during-major-transitions-but-surprisingly-it-seems-to-take-a-break-from-rewiring-during-menopause-180989527/Puberty, pregnancy and menopause are the three major hormonal transitions for the female brain. Researchers already knew that during the first two, the organ fine-tunes itself in response to hormonal shifts, but they haven't been sure about the thirdMon, 21 Sep 2026 18:51:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-brain-shrinks-as-we-age-and-during-major-transitions-but-surprisingly-it-seems-to-take-a-break-from-rewiring-during-menopause-180989527/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-armadillo-found-in-ohio-is-the-latest-surprise-in-the-armored-animals-expansion-north-where-are-they-now-and-whats-driving-their-movement-180989530/Typically spotted in the South and Southeast, the creatures have been reaching increasingly distant states like North Carolina, Virginia and Illinois as winters become milderMon, 21 Sep 2026 17:56:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-armadillo-found-in-ohio-is-the-latest-surprise-in-the-armored-animals-expansion-north-where-are-they-now-and-whats-driving-their-movement-180989530/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-cutting-edge-english-project-replaces-lawnmowers-with-scythes-to-protect-wildflowers-and-save-the-bees-180989537/English Heritage has recruited volunteers to mow meadows the old-fashioned way at some of its historic sitesMon, 21 Sep 2026 17:46:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-cutting-edge-english-project-replaces-lawnmowers-with-scythes-to-protect-wildflowers-and-save-the-bees-180989537/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alcohol-related-cancer-deaths-have-more-than-doubled-in-the-united-states-over-the-past-30-years-study-suggests-180989531/While scientists say their findings don't necessarily mean you need to cut alcohol from your life entirely, knowing the potential risks—especially if you're already at an elevated risk of developing cancer—can help guide your decisionsMon, 21 Sep 2026 15:32:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alcohol-related-cancer-deaths-have-more-than-doubled-in-the-united-states-over-the-past-30-years-study-suggests-180989531/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-researcher-studying-in-a-dutch-library-was-amazed-to-discover-a-scrap-of-parchment-from-a-1700-year-old-copy-of-the-odyssey-180989524/The handwritten fragment contains Greek verses from Book 12 of Homer’s epic, in which King Odysseus recounts the fate of his doomed crewMon, 21 Sep 2026 14:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-researcher-studying-in-a-dutch-library-was-amazed-to-discover-a-scrap-of-parchment-from-a-1700-year-old-copy-of-the-odyssey-180989524/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-adorable-and-tiny-tilcayo-the-first-brand-new-cat-species-identified-in-more-than-a-century-180989528/Discovered in a cloud forest in Bolivia, the diminutive felines are smaller than a house cat and covered in large, irregularly shaped rosettesMon, 21 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-adorable-and-tiny-tilcayo-the-first-brand-new-cat-species-identified-in-more-than-a-century-180989528/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-sunday-scaries-and-whack-a-mole-to-looksmaxxing-and-cuffing-season-these-are-the-newest-words-in-the-dictionary-180989529/Merriam-Webster’s update includes 1,400 words that have demonstrated frequent, widespread and meaningful useMon, 21 Sep 2026 13:28:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-sunday-scaries-and-whack-a-mole-to-looksmaxxing-and-cuffing-season-these-are-the-newest-words-in-the-dictionary-180989529/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-moon-just-got-a-massive-new-crater-thats-wider-than-two-end-to-end-football-fields-its-a-once-in-a-lifetime-observation-180989526/The impact crater was formed in 2024 when an object the size of a multistory building crashed into our lunar companion. The resulting divot is about 728 feet wide and 141 feet deepFri, 18 Sep 2026 19:04:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-moon-just-got-a-massive-new-crater-thats-wider-than-two-end-to-end-football-fields-its-a-once-in-a-lifetime-observation-180989526/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-herd-of-40-life-size-bison-puppets-will-stampede-through-new-york-this-weekend-to-honor-indigenous-history-and-resilience-180989525/The massive bovines, each maneuvered by three puppeteers, will roam through Lower Manhattan and BrooklynFri, 18 Sep 2026 18:44:15 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-herd-of-40-life-size-bison-puppets-will-stampede-through-new-york-this-weekend-to-honor-indigenous-history-and-resilience-180989525/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/centuries-ago-an-architect-characterized-the-parthenons-curves-as-a-clever-optical-illusion-now-a-mathematician-begs-to-differ-180989520/In the first century B.C.E., Vitruvius wrote that the Acropolis’ largest temple was horizontally bowed so that it didn't seem to sag, and that explanation persisted for millennia. New research suggests a different reasonFri, 18 Sep 2026 17:11:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/centuries-ago-an-architect-characterized-the-parthenons-curves-as-a-clever-optical-illusion-now-a-mathematician-begs-to-differ-180989520/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tyrannosaurus-rex-was-a-warm-blooded-dinosaur-with-a-body-temperature-similar-to-that-of-humans-study-suggests-180989519/A tooth analysis hints that the fearsome predator ran at a toasty 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintaining that internal temperature may have allowed it to inhabit a range stretching from modern-day Alaska to Mexico during the Cretaceous periodFri, 18 Sep 2026 15:59:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tyrannosaurus-rex-was-a-warm-blooded-dinosaur-with-a-body-temperature-similar-to-that-of-humans-study-suggests-180989519/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-manuscripts-preserved-traces-of-a-deadly-virus-for-centuries-180989522/A new analysis of teeth and parchment suggests that the devastating sheep pox virus has been infecting livestock for 3,700 yearsFri, 18 Sep 2026 15:10:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-manuscripts-preserved-traces-of-a-deadly-virus-for-centuries-180989522/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-humpback-whale-mom-stayed-with-her-stillborn-calf-repeatedly-touchingi-it-and-staring-into-its-eyes-was-she-grieving-180989516/Observed last year off the coast of Queensland, Australia, this event marks the first documentation of a stillbirth in the species, providing a rare glimpse at how the highly social animals respond to deathFri, 18 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-humpback-whale-mom-stayed-with-her-stillborn-calf-repeatedly-touchingi-it-and-staring-into-its-eyes-was-she-grieving-180989516/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-created-mice-with-half-human-brains-the-hybrid-animals-could-revolutionize-our-understanding-of-neurological-disorders-180989518/Our brains and their associated diseases are notoriously hard to study. So researchers developed an animal model with a cortex—the brain’s outer layer—grown from human-derived cellsThu, 17 Sep 2026 20:16:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-created-mice-with-half-human-brains-the-hybrid-animals-could-revolutionize-our-understanding-of-neurological-disorders-180989518/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pope-leo-xiv-makes-a-splash-for-his-71st-birthday-announcing-a-water-themed-art-exhibition-at-the-vatican-library-180989515/Contemporary sculptures, fish made from typographic elements, centuries-old treatises and historical global cookbooks will feature in the new ‘Catastrophe and Wonder’ art showThu, 17 Sep 2026 19:12:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pope-leo-xiv-makes-a-splash-for-his-71st-birthday-announcing-a-water-themed-art-exhibition-at-the-vatican-library-180989515/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bought-for-30-at-an-estate-sale-this-long-lost-gertrude-abercrombie-painting-could-now-fetch-250000-180989513/The Chicago-based Surrealist created the piece in 1951, then gave it to a doctor in exchange for medical servicesThu, 17 Sep 2026 18:02:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bought-for-30-at-an-estate-sale-this-long-lost-gertrude-abercrombie-painting-could-now-fetch-250000-180989513/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/billions-of-years-ago-venus-may-have-had-a-moon-which-the-planet-promptly-gobbled-up-study-suggests-180989510/Scientists have puzzled over why the planet dubbed "Earth's twin" doesn't have a moon. Computer simulations hint that if Venus ever did have one, it probably would've cannibalized its companionThu, 17 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/billions-of-years-ago-venus-may-have-had-a-moon-which-the-planet-promptly-gobbled-up-study-suggests-180989510/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-marble-sculpture-by-americas-first-professional-female-sculptor-sat-hidden-in-plain-sight-for-decades-in-english-garden-180989508/Until its discovery during a house appraisal, the debut bust by Harriet Goodhue Hosmer, a celebrated artist and feminist icon, had been mistaken for an ordinary garden ornamentThu, 17 Sep 2026 14:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-marble-sculpture-by-americas-first-professional-female-sculptor-sat-hidden-in-plain-sight-for-decades-in-english-garden-180989508/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-have-created-a-digital-map-of-the-roman-empires-190000-mile-network-of-roads-turns-out-not-all-of-them-led-to-rome-180989509/For a new study, archaeologists attempted to answer age-old questions about Rome’s roads, including how connected the capital was and whether current motorways trace Roman routesThu, 17 Sep 2026 14:10:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-have-created-a-digital-map-of-the-roman-empires-190000-mile-network-of-roads-turns-out-not-all-of-them-led-to-rome-180989509/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-zealand-welcomes-a-record-90-kakapo-chicks-helping-the-worlds-chunkiest-parrot-species-rebound-from-the-brink-of-extinction-180989511/Annual chick counts aren't confirmed until the youngest hatchling reaches 150 days old, a benchmark for independence. The population now stands at 325 birds, up from the 51 individuals that remained in 1995Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-zealand-welcomes-a-record-90-kakapo-chicks-helping-the-worlds-chunkiest-parrot-species-rebound-from-the-brink-of-extinction-180989511/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-66-million-year-old-feather-trapped-in-dinosaur-poop-might-help-explain-why-some-birds-survived-mass-extinction-180989496/Discovered in Montana in 2016, the cherry-size coprolite contains feathers, bones and evidence of the bird's last meal before the creature was eaten by a theropodWed, 16 Sep 2026 18:45:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-66-million-year-old-feather-trapped-in-dinosaur-poop-might-help-explain-why-some-birds-survived-mass-extinction-180989496/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-new-brain-map-shows-every-nerve-cell-in-an-adult-male-fruit-flys-central-nervous-system-heres-why-that-matters-180989490/The recently released "connectome" joins a previously completed map of an adult female fruit fly’s brain. The digital 3D diagrams allow scientists to trace precise neural paths in the bugs’ brains, which can unlock secrets about the organ in humansWed, 16 Sep 2026 16:17:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-new-brain-map-shows-every-nerve-cell-in-an-adult-male-fruit-flys-central-nervous-system-heres-why-that-matters-180989490/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/three-wild-dogs-made-a-record-breaking-trek-across-zambia-traveling-more-than-2500-miles-in-search-of-mates-180989505/The canines achieved the longest recorded movement by any African mammal. Their journey highlights the importance of having protected corridors for wildlifeWed, 16 Sep 2026 15:47:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/three-wild-dogs-made-a-record-breaking-trek-across-zambia-traveling-more-than-2500-miles-in-search-of-mates-180989505/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysteriously-stolen-more-than-30-years-ago-and-illicitly-transported-to-the-us-this-300-pound-sculpture-is-finally-back-home-in-france-180989507/Alfred Lepère’s hulking “Faune Chasseur” artwork is once again on display at the Musée de Picardie, in AmiensWed, 16 Sep 2026 15:03:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysteriously-stolen-more-than-30-years-ago-and-illicitly-transported-to-the-us-this-300-pound-sculpture-is-finally-back-home-in-france-180989507/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tasmanian-devils-lived-alongside-humans-in-northwestern-australia-as-far-back-as-45000-years-ago-researchers-find-180989503/Fossils and marked bones unearthed in a Juukan Gorge cave suggest that the marsupial species not only once lived in the region but may have been a “garbage compactor on four legs” for its human populationWed, 16 Sep 2026 13:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tasmanian-devils-lived-alongside-humans-in-northwestern-australia-as-far-back-as-45000-years-ago-researchers-find-180989503/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ruins-of-a-long-lost-medieval-convent-have-been-discovered-just-a-few-feet-beneath-a-soccer-field-180989506/St. Clare's Convent closed in the 16th century, and researchers assumed all traces of it had been lost. But a new ground-penetrating radar survey revealed surprisingly intact remains of pillars, rooms, cloisters, a courtyard and a churchWed, 16 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ruins-of-a-long-lost-medieval-convent-have-been-discovered-just-a-few-feet-beneath-a-soccer-field-180989506/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/marmot-mystery-how-did-these-large-mountain-dwelling-rodents-end-up-in-the-bay-area-180989502/The two rodents of unusual size, rescued this month, might have hitched a ride in the engine compartment of a vehicle coming down from the mountains, wildlife officials sayTue, 15 Sep 2026 20:21:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/marmot-mystery-how-did-these-large-mountain-dwelling-rodents-end-up-in-the-bay-area-180989502/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-geologist-in-california-found-something-strange-sticking-out-of-a-creek-reverse-image-search-told-her-it-was-an-ancient-mastodon-tooth-180989504/Pacific mastodons roamed parts of North America before disappearing along with other Ice Age megafauna around 11,700 years agoTue, 15 Sep 2026 19:04:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-geologist-in-california-found-something-strange-sticking-out-of-a-creek-reverse-image-search-told-her-it-was-an-ancient-mastodon-tooth-180989504/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/russia-sends-the-centuries-old-remains-of-a-medieval-warrior-prince-to-its-front-line-in-ukraine-hoping-to-spiritually-strengthen-troops-180989501/A reliquary containing part of the right hand of Dmitry Donskoy, whose crypt was discovered in August, has been dispatched to DonetskTue, 15 Sep 2026 18:41:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/russia-sends-the-centuries-old-remains-of-a-medieval-warrior-prince-to-its-front-line-in-ukraine-hoping-to-spiritually-strengthen-troops-180989501/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-if-emmett-till-had-lived-a-new-exhibition-imagines-an-alternate-future-for-the-murdered-black-teenager-180989498/Featuring photographs by more than 110 artists, the show honors Till’s memory by inviting viewers to contemplate the person he might have become had he made it to adulthoodTue, 15 Sep 2026 16:01:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-if-emmett-till-had-lived-a-new-exhibition-imagines-an-alternate-future-for-the-murdered-black-teenager-180989498/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/renovations-at-buckingham-palace-have-revealed-fascinating-artifacts-previously-lost-to-time-lodged-in-its-walls-and-floors-180989494/The findings include a card game tournament ticket, an important newspaper clipping and the schedule for a diplomatic evening event under Elizabeth IITue, 15 Sep 2026 14:21:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/renovations-at-buckingham-palace-have-revealed-fascinating-artifacts-previously-lost-to-time-lodged-in-its-walls-and-floors-180989494/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-four-giant-dinosaur-footprints-discovered-in-north-dakota-might-represent-the-first-trackway-made-by-an-adult-t-rex-ever-found-180989481/A high school teacher first spotted the remarkable trail while volunteering on a paleontological dig. Researchers suspect a hulking, full-grown dinosaur marched through the then-swampy landscape roughly 66.5 million years agoTue, 15 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-four-giant-dinosaur-footprints-discovered-in-north-dakota-might-represent-the-first-trackway-made-by-an-adult-t-rex-ever-found-180989481/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-maps-might-soon-get-an-upgrade-the-united-nationas-votes-to-endorse-global-charts-that-better-represent-africas-true-size-180989495/The most widely used global map is almost 500 years old and was designed for navigation. But landmasses near the poles look larger than their actual relative sizes, and those near the equator look much smallerMon, 14 Sep 2026 19:15:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-maps-might-soon-get-an-upgrade-the-united-nationas-votes-to-endorse-global-charts-that-better-represent-africas-true-size-180989495/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/unsealed-for-the-first-time-in-600-years-this-tomb-in-peru-was-just-declared-the-discovery-of-the-decade-180989497/Archaeologists excavating Chan Chan, the capital of the pre-Inca Chimú civilization, found an undisturbed mausoleum that held the remains of at least 38 individuals, as well as a trove of rich funerary goodsMon, 14 Sep 2026 19:05:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/unsealed-for-the-first-time-in-600-years-this-tomb-in-peru-was-just-declared-the-discovery-of-the-decade-180989497/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-nine-stunning-images-from-this-years-ocean-photographer-of-the-year-contest-that-show-the-majesty-of-marine-life-180989489/From seahorse farewells to saving a stranded whale, the photos capture the diversity and beauty of sea creatures—but also the perils they faceMon, 14 Sep 2026 16:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-nine-stunning-images-from-this-years-ocean-photographer-of-the-year-contest-that-show-the-majesty-of-marine-life-180989489/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/princess-dianas-revenge-dress-is-heading-to-auction-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-30-years-180989492/The fashion icon wore the strapless silk frock the same day her then-estranged husband publicly admitted to having an affairMon, 14 Sep 2026 15:58:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/princess-dianas-revenge-dress-is-heading-to-auction-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-30-years-180989492/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/A-Rare-Nazi-Looted-Painting-lost-for-Some-80-Years-Turned-Up-in-a-Real-Estate-Listing-Now-a-Judge-Has-Ordered-It-Returned-to-Its-Rightful-Heirs-180989488/Missing since it was stolen in Amsterdam in 1945, Giacomo Ceruti’s ‘Portrait of a Lady’ will be restored to its true owners, a court in Argentina has ruled in a landmark decisionMon, 14 Sep 2026 14:29:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/A-Rare-Nazi-Looted-Painting-lost-for-Some-80-Years-Turned-Up-in-a-Real-Estate-Listing-Now-a-Judge-Has-Ordered-It-Returned-to-Its-Rightful-Heirs-180989488/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-an-elusive-and-ethereal-bigfin-squid-float-above-the-seafloor-off-central-california-180989491/This marks the first time the mysterious creature has been seen alive in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. It was spotted last month by scientists on an expedition to study marine life near underwater mountainsMon, 14 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-an-elusive-and-ethereal-bigfin-squid-float-above-the-seafloor-off-central-california-180989491/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-find-a-trove-of-denisovan-fossils-and-tools-in-southwest-china-giving-an-unprecendented-glimpse-into-our-extinct-cousins-lives-180989483/Relatively few fossils belonging to the enigmatic early human have been unearthed in the past. Two new studies describe seven Denisovan fossils and more than 1,300 stone and bone toolsMon, 14 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-find-a-trove-of-denisovan-fossils-and-tools-in-southwest-china-giving-an-unprecendented-glimpse-into-our-extinct-cousins-lives-180989483/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-finnish-metal-detectorist-was-shocked-to-unearth-a-trove-of-viking-age-silver-in-his-hometown-then-his-detector-went-off-again-180989487/Weighing a combined ten pounds, the artifacts are estimated to be 1,000 years old and constitute Finland’s largest coin hoard of the eraFri, 11 Sep 2026 19:14:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-finnish-metal-detectorist-was-shocked-to-unearth-a-trove-of-viking-age-silver-in-his-hometown-then-his-detector-went-off-again-180989487/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-you-suffer-a-sweltering-august-you-werent-alone-it-tied-for-the-month-with-the-hottest-global-temperatures-on-record-180989482/Last month, the air temperature averaged 62.53 degrees Fahrenheit, tying with July 2023 as the toastiest month ever documented by the European Union's climate serviceFri, 11 Sep 2026 16:57:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-you-suffer-a-sweltering-august-you-werent-alone-it-tied-for-the-month-with-the-hottest-global-temperatures-on-record-180989482/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/designers-and-computer-scientists-create-new-decoy-fonts-that-humans-can-read-and-ai-bots-cannot-180989470/To prevent the trawling and theft of human writing, font-makers are employing both old and new illusions to outsmart large language modelsFri, 11 Sep 2026 16:08:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/designers-and-computer-scientists-create-new-decoy-fonts-that-humans-can-read-and-ai-bots-cannot-180989470/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-romes-largest-fresco-and-mosaic-complex-featuring-depictions-of-a-mysterious-maritime-city-opens-to-the-public-after-2000-years-180989484/The massive artworks, created in the first century C.E., were discovered in the 1990s during excavations of the Baths of TrajanFri, 11 Sep 2026 15:31:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-romes-largest-fresco-and-mosaic-complex-featuring-depictions-of-a-mysterious-maritime-city-opens-to-the-public-after-2000-years-180989484/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-the-worlds-oldest-evidence-of-habitual-drug-use-in-the-teeth-of-a-hunter-gatherer-who-lived-up-to-25000-years-ago-180989485/This individual may have regularly sucked on betel nuts, known for their mind-altering properties, leading to worsening dental disease. Researchers say the discovery sheds light on addiction in prehistoric environmentsFri, 11 Sep 2026 15:12:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-the-worlds-oldest-evidence-of-habitual-drug-use-in-the-teeth-of-a-hunter-gatherer-who-lived-up-to-25000-years-ago-180989485/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/for-decades-scientists-thought-an-american-cheetah-once-roamed-north-america-ancient-turns-out-the-extinct-cat-wasnt-a-cheetah-180989465/Ancient DNA from fossils found in Wyoming and Canada's Yukon Territory suggests the wild cat more closely resembled modern pumas than modern cheetahsFri, 11 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/for-decades-scientists-thought-an-american-cheetah-once-roamed-north-america-ancient-turns-out-the-extinct-cat-wasnt-a-cheetah-180989465/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-genetically-modified-pig-kidney-kept-a-man-alive-for-a-record-nine-months-allowing-him-to-wait-for-a-donated-human-organ-180989466/The animal organ kept Tim Andrews off dialysis for 271 days and represents the first time a pig kidney has been used as a bridge to human organ transplantationFri, 11 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-genetically-modified-pig-kidney-kept-a-man-alive-for-a-record-nine-months-allowing-him-to-wait-for-a-donated-human-organ-180989466/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-may-have-solved-a-longstanding-math-problem-with-a-million-dollar-prize-it-ignited-a-controversy-over-who-gets-credit-180989472/OpenAI announced a solution to the Navier-Stokes problem. But could its A.I. models have used data from two mathematicians working on a similar breakthrough?Thu, 10 Sep 2026 20:23:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-may-have-solved-a-longstanding-math-problem-with-a-million-dollar-prize-it-ignited-a-controversy-over-who-gets-credit-180989472/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/girl-scouts-of-america-announces-a-first-for-its-iconic-cookie-lineup-one-created-exclusively-for-dogs-180989479/For the first time in its 109-year history of cookie sales, the organization offers a custom-made sweet treat for four-legged friendsThu, 10 Sep 2026 19:28:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/girl-scouts-of-america-announces-a-first-for-its-iconic-cookie-lineup-one-created-exclusively-for-dogs-180989479/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australias-second-smallest-rock-wallaby-reappears-in-a-region-where-it-had-not-been-seen-for-50-years-180989469/The endangered nabarlek is not easy to find and difficult to distinguish from similar species. But a research team made new detections of the animals that offer “good news for their long-term survival”Thu, 10 Sep 2026 18:00:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australias-second-smallest-rock-wallaby-reappears-in-a-region-where-it-had-not-been-seen-for-50-years-180989469/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-life-of-agatha-christie-the-worlds-best-selling-novelist-goes-under-the-microscope-at-the-british-library-180989480/An upcoming London exhibition will explore the breadth of Christie’s ‘remarkable’ experiences through letters, photographs, a typewriter and a replica of her Hawaiian surfboardThu, 10 Sep 2026 17:55:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-life-of-agatha-christie-the-worlds-best-selling-novelist-goes-under-the-microscope-at-the-british-library-180989480/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-tasmanian-tiger-was-branded-a-livestock-killer-new-research-challenges-that-myth-180989473/Thylacines had powerful snapping bites suited for catching small and medium-sized prey like bandicoots—not taking down large animals such as sheep and cattle, as European colonists fearedThu, 10 Sep 2026 17:43:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-tasmanian-tiger-was-branded-a-livestock-killer-new-research-challenges-that-myth-180989473/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-tip-of-this-snakes-tail-looks-like-a-spider-but-inside-its-bones-are-bizarrely-normal-180989478/High-tech scans reveal the first detailed look at the internal anatomy of the spider-tailed horned viper. The findings shed light on little-known snake vertebrae and highlight the difficulty of predicting what an animal looks like from its skeletonThu, 10 Sep 2026 16:06:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-tip-of-this-snakes-tail-looks-like-a-spider-but-inside-its-bones-are-bizarrely-normal-180989478/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-psychedelic-compound-found-in-magic-mushrooms-might-prevent-debilitating-nerve-damage-and-pain-caused-by-chemotherapy-180989457/A study in mice and human tissue suggests psilocybin protects against peripheral neuropathy, a common side effect of chemotherapy. The findings are so promising that researchers are starting a mid-stage clinical trial this yearThu, 10 Sep 2026 15:48:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-psychedelic-compound-found-in-magic-mushrooms-might-prevent-debilitating-nerve-damage-and-pain-caused-by-chemotherapy-180989457/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-a-neolithic-sculpture-of-a-human-riding-a-leopard-thats-unlike-anything-we-have-encountered-before-180989477/The artifact was found during excavations at Karahan Tepe, an 11,000-year-old site in southeastern Turkey. Created long before the invention of writing, the 2.3-foot-tall sculpture's purpose is a mysteryThu, 10 Sep 2026 14:09:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-a-neolithic-sculpture-of-a-human-riding-a-leopard-thats-unlike-anything-we-have-encountered-before-180989477/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-excavating-a-roman-era-cemetery-in-poland-were-surprised-to-stumble-upon-a-5000-year-old-necklace-made-of-42-teeth-180989471/Crafted from the teeth of large mammals, such as wolves, deer, bears and perhaps even humans, the jewelry was found in a grave in southern Poland that may belong to an important patriarch of the Corded Ware cultureWed, 09 Sep 2026 21:05:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-excavating-a-roman-era-cemetery-in-poland-were-surprised-to-stumble-upon-a-5000-year-old-necklace-made-of-42-teeth-180989471/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-researchers-surprise-this-giant-dinosaur-laid-eggs-in-a-cold-climate-180989474/A new study suggests that titanosaurs used rotting vegetation to keep their eggs warm much like crocodiles do todayWed, 09 Sep 2026 20:29:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-researchers-surprise-this-giant-dinosaur-laid-eggs-in-a-cold-climate-180989474/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-legendary-132-year-old-dime-recently-sold-for-more-than-12-million-at-auction-what-makes-it-so-extraordinary-180989476/Only 24 of the 1894-S Barber dimes were minted in San Francisco in June 1894, and just nine known specimens exist todayWed, 09 Sep 2026 19:33:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-legendary-132-year-old-dime-recently-sold-for-more-than-12-million-at-auction-what-makes-it-so-extraordinary-180989476/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-hospital-ship-sank-off-albania-coast-during-world-war-ii-now-its-teeming-with-marine-life-180989468/A new survey of the "Po" has revealed a thriving underwater ecosystem, including rare Mediterranean monk sealsWed, 09 Sep 2026 17:57:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-hospital-ship-sank-off-albania-coast-during-world-war-ii-now-its-teeming-with-marine-life-180989468/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worlds-largest-collection-of-serial-killer-murderabilia-from-john-wayne-gacy-to-hh-holmes-opens-in-chicago-180989461/More than 2,000 items belonging or connected to some 150 serial killers from around the globe feature in a chilling new exhibitionWed, 09 Sep 2026 14:24:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worlds-largest-collection-of-serial-killer-murderabilia-from-john-wayne-gacy-to-hh-holmes-opens-in-chicago-180989461/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stealing-candy-from-children-splash-proof-urinals-and-buried-panties-oh-my-here-are-the-winners-of-the-2026-ig-nobel-prizes-180989463/The awards are an unaffiliated spoof of the Nobel Prizes. They highlight research achievements that are surprising and silly-sounding—but also make people thinkTue, 08 Sep 2026 20:50:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stealing-candy-from-children-splash-proof-urinals-and-buried-panties-oh-my-here-are-the-winners-of-the-2026-ig-nobel-prizes-180989463/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-broke-into-a-french-museum-and-made-off-with-renoir-paintings-worth-more-than-25-million-180989462/Early today, burglars stole four artworks from the Renoir Museum, in the French Riviera, only to drop two of them as they escapedTue, 08 Sep 2026 19:21:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-broke-into-a-french-museum-and-made-off-with-renoir-paintings-worth-more-than-25-million-180989462/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-adorable-critically-endangered-pygmy-raccoons-in-cozumel-are-teaching-one-another-to-turn-trash-into-toy-balls-180989459/The observations offer rare evidence of a skill being passed among raccoons. But the work also highlights the effects of human pollution at the popular tourist destinationTue, 08 Sep 2026 18:49:50 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-adorable-critically-endangered-pygmy-raccoons-in-cozumel-are-teaching-one-another-to-turn-trash-into-toy-balls-180989459/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-may-have-finally-detected-a-hint-of-dark-matter-the-mysterious-invisible-stuff-that-holds-the-universe-together-180989440/A South Dakota-based instrument built to detect theoretical dark matter particles has sensed a particle interaction that's difficult to explain with known phenomena. But more data is needed to confirm that the strange substance—which scientists have never directly observed—is, indeed, the culpritTue, 08 Sep 2026 15:23:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-may-have-finally-detected-a-hint-of-dark-matter-the-mysterious-invisible-stuff-that-holds-the-universe-together-180989440/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/routine-yard-work-reveals-a-trove-of-viking-silver-the-largest-treasure-of-its-kind-ever-discovered-in-denmark-180989456/The collection includes coins, jewelry, silver bars and a tiny artifact shaped like Thor's hammer. Experts say the roughly 700 items were buried during the tenth centuryTue, 08 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/routine-yard-work-reveals-a-trove-of-viking-silver-the-largest-treasure-of-its-kind-ever-discovered-in-denmark-180989456/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-york-city-exhibition-celebrates-snoopys-enduring-influence-on-art-and-fashion-180989455/The beloved "Peanuts" character’s many costumes and brand collaborations are featured in a new showcaseFri, 04 Sep 2026 21:22:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-york-city-exhibition-celebrates-snoopys-enduring-influence-on-art-and-fashion-180989455/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-an-eight-year-journey-two-spacecraft-have-begun-their-arrival-to-mercury-the-inner-solar-systems-most-mysterious-planet-180989458/The BepiColombo mission, by the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, is only the third to study our smallest planetary neighborFri, 04 Sep 2026 18:48:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-an-eight-year-journey-two-spacecraft-have-begun-their-arrival-to-mercury-the-inner-solar-systems-most-mysterious-planet-180989458/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/GLP-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-slow-aging-and-extend-lifespan-mouse-study-suggests-180989452/Older female mice—equivalent in age to 60-year-old women—given daily injections of the active ingredient in Ozempic lived about 12 percent longer than animals that didn't receive the drugFri, 04 Sep 2026 15:16:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/GLP-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-slow-aging-and-extend-lifespan-mouse-study-suggests-180989452/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-does-rain-eat-through-protective-coatings-on-metal-structures-researchers-propose-a-new-idea-electrically-charged-droplets-180989434/Scientists long attributed rain damage to physical abrasion and chemical degradation from acidic substances. A new study offers a third idea, which could help researchers develop longer-lasting coatings and preserve important objectsFri, 04 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-does-rain-eat-through-protective-coatings-on-metal-structures-researchers-propose-a-new-idea-electrically-charged-droplets-180989434/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-determine-how-to-spot-fake-ancient-pottery-using-the-earths-magnetic-field-180989441/The magnetic North Pole has shifted over the millennia, leaving clues in the minerals that make up clay antiquitiesFri, 04 Sep 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-determine-how-to-spot-fake-ancient-pottery-using-the-earths-magnetic-field-180989441/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/part-of-your-ersonality-is-encoded-in-your-genes-huge-analysis-links-characteristics-to-more-than-1200-common-genetic-variants-180989450/A new meta-analysis pooled data from more than one million people to look at the crossover between DNA and the "Big Five" personality traits: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticismFri, 04 Sep 2026 11:37:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/part-of-your-ersonality-is-encoded-in-your-genes-huge-analysis-links-characteristics-to-more-than-1200-common-genetic-variants-180989450/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-recreated-the-long-lost-chirps-of-jurassic-insects-listen-to-the-simulated-soundscape-of-165-million-years-ago-180989445/With artificial intelligence and careful modeling of fossilized wings, researchers reproduced how some extinct, katydid-like insects might have made noiseThu, 03 Sep 2026 20:08:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-recreated-the-long-lost-chirps-of-jurassic-insects-listen-to-the-simulated-soundscape-of-165-million-years-ago-180989445/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-lake-in-canada-got-a-mysterious-new-island-then-it-disappeared-and-now-its-back-180989442/The floating forest appeared in a well-mapped reservoir in British Columbia. Its presence and vanishing act have puzzled locals and officials at the power utility that operates the lake, but other similar islands exist elsewhereThu, 03 Sep 2026 19:15:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-lake-in-canada-got-a-mysterious-new-island-then-it-disappeared-and-now-its-back-180989442/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-mysterious-decagon-unexpectedly-appeared-around-saturns-south-pole-the-ten-sided-shape-seems-to-be-a-wave-in-the-atmosphere-180989449/Decades ago, scientists found a hexagon around Saturn’s north pole. Now, recent images reveal a decagon in the planet’s southern hemisphere—and it seems to have recently formedThu, 03 Sep 2026 19:01:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-mysterious-decagon-unexpectedly-appeared-around-saturns-south-pole-the-ten-sided-shape-seems-to-be-a-wave-in-the-atmosphere-180989449/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/historic-trove-of-monets-renoirs-and-other-impressionist-masterpieces-expected-to-fetch-up-to-50-million-on-auction-block-this-fall-180989448/More than 60 paintings from the private estate of Paul Durand-Ruel, who shepherded Impressionism out from obscurity, will be up for saleThu, 03 Sep 2026 17:16:15 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/historic-trove-of-monets-renoirs-and-other-impressionist-masterpieces-expected-to-fetch-up-to-50-million-on-auction-block-this-fall-180989448/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/leaf-peeping-season-is-almost-here-these-interactive-maps-can-help-you-figure-out-when-fall-foliage-will-peak-in-your-area-180989439/From the magnificent mountains of New England to the desert landscape of northern New Mexico, the tools can help you make the most of nature's upcoming wardrobe changeThu, 03 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/leaf-peeping-season-is-almost-here-these-interactive-maps-can-help-you-figure-out-when-fall-foliage-will-peak-in-your-area-180989439/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-20-breathtaking-bird-images-from-the-audubon-photography-awards-capture-the-wonder-of-the-winged-world-180989436/The winners of the 17th annual contest reveal the beauty of birds, the splendor of their migratory journeys and the risks they faceWed, 02 Sep 2026 19:48:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-20-breathtaking-bird-images-from-the-audubon-photography-awards-capture-the-wonder-of-the-winged-world-180989436/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/blue-crabs-have-taken-over-the-adriatic-sea-to-fight-them-off-italian-researchers-just-released-thousands-of-baby-octopuses-180989430/Although prized in the United States, the crustaceans have been decimating ecosystems and the fishing industry in Italy. Experts hope that an army of natural predators—common octopuses—can help contain the invasive species' spreadWed, 02 Sep 2026 18:48:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/blue-crabs-have-taken-over-the-adriatic-sea-to-fight-them-off-italian-researchers-just-released-thousands-of-baby-octopuses-180989430/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-a-4000-year-old-tomb-with-a-false-door-at-egypts-ancient-saqqara-necropolis-180989438/In addition to the tomb, which once belonged to a high-ranking official, excavations revealed a network of burial shafts that still held human remains and funerary objectsWed, 02 Sep 2026 18:43:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-a-4000-year-old-tomb-with-a-false-door-at-egypts-ancient-saqqara-necropolis-180989438/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-ii-sugar-rationing-data-hints-that-limiting-intake-of-the-sweet-stuff-early-in-life-lowers-the-risk-of-dementia-and-cancer-180989431/For roughly a decade leading up to September 1953, the United Kingdom limited sugar purchases. Scientists studied health outcomes in people born during the ration and right afterWed, 02 Sep 2026 15:48:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-ii-sugar-rationing-data-hints-that-limiting-intake-of-the-sweet-stuff-early-in-life-lowers-the-risk-of-dementia-and-cancer-180989431/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/corals-reveal-el-nino-events-have-become-stronger-in-recent-decades-probably-because-humans-have-been-heating-up-the-planet-180989432/Researchers used elements trapped within Galápagos corals to understand natural swings in the climate over the past millennium. They hint that variability has gone up over the past 40 years compared to preindustrial timesWed, 02 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/corals-reveal-el-nino-events-have-become-stronger-in-recent-decades-probably-because-humans-have-been-heating-up-the-planet-180989432/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/allergic-to-dogs-these-gene-edited-beagles-could-pave-the-way-to-your-dream-canine-companion-that-wont-trigger-sniffles-180989303/Geneticists altered Alfie and Bailey’s DNA so that they don't produce a major allergen. However, canines like them are not currently commercially available, and some experts express ethical concerns about altering the animals' genesTue, 01 Sep 2026 19:12:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/allergic-to-dogs-these-gene-edited-beagles-could-pave-the-way-to-your-dream-canine-companion-that-wont-trigger-sniffles-180989303/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-91-year-old-man-fell-71-times-while-hiking-appalachian-trail-he-just-became-oldest-person-complete-2190-mile-trek-180989428/Dale Sanders finished the hike in just under a year. Nicknamed "Grey Beard," he's no stranger to age-defying feats of enduranceTue, 01 Sep 2026 18:24:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-91-year-old-man-fell-71-times-while-hiking-appalachian-trail-he-just-became-oldest-person-complete-2190-mile-trek-180989428/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-frank-lloyd-wright-house-in-la-is-in-danger-of-demolition-by-neglect-say-advocates-180989429/The visionary designed this two-bedroom, one-bathroom in his affordable Usonian style. It’s the only house of its kind in L.A.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:18:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-frank-lloyd-wright-house-in-la-is-in-danger-of-demolition-by-neglect-say-advocates-180989429/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mars-southern-half-is-weirdly-warm-underground-the-thermal-anomaly-might-explain-why-the-planets-hemispheres-look-so-different-180989424/Researchers used a novel technique to figure out what's going on inside the Red Planet. The work suggests that the interior of the southern hemisphere is hundreds of degrees hotter than that of the northern hemisphere and partially moltenTue, 01 Sep 2026 15:47:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mars-southern-half-is-weirdly-warm-underground-the-thermal-anomaly-might-explain-why-the-planets-hemispheres-look-so-different-180989424/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-insect-had-24-legs-and-could-help-explain-how-the-ancestors-of-modern-day-bugs-took-over-the-land-180989420/A previously undescribed critter that lived 324 million years ago appears to have been a transitional species that lived between land and sea. It could help researchers fill an 80-million-year gap in the fossil record of how crustaceans evolved into insectsTue, 01 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-insect-had-24-legs-and-could-help-explain-how-the-ancestors-of-modern-day-bugs-took-over-the-land-180989420/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/female-treefrogs-experience-choice-overload-amid-too-many-mating-calls-from-males-180989411/Faced with a chorus of potential mates, female Cope’s gray treefrogs may be overwhelmed by the number of options and struggle to make a careful decision, a study suggestsTue, 01 Sep 2026 13:42:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/female-treefrogs-experience-choice-overload-amid-too-many-mating-calls-from-males-180989411/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stones-from-one-of-henry-viiis-fortresses-spent-more-than-a-century-hidden-in-plain-sight-new-research-suggests-the-victorians-repurposed-them-as-building-materials-180989427/Recently discovered archival records indicate that workers constructing an extension of the Constable's Gate at Dover Castle in the late 19th century reused fragments of the Tudor-era Sandown CastleTue, 01 Sep 2026 12:52:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stones-from-one-of-henry-viiis-fortresses-spent-more-than-a-century-hidden-in-plain-sight-new-research-suggests-the-victorians-repurposed-them-as-building-materials-180989427/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-triggered-the-devastating-floods-in-nepal-and-tibet-and-are-we-due-for-more-in-the-future-heres-what-scientists-know-so-far-180989426/Natural hazards researchers suspect that a landslide involving a glacier triggered the event, and they say more could happen because of human-caused climate changeMon, 31 Aug 2026 20:50:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-triggered-the-devastating-floods-in-nepal-and-tibet-and-are-we-due-for-more-in-the-future-heres-what-scientists-know-so-far-180989426/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-digitally-reconstructed-face-of-an-ancient-man-who-witnessed-englands-greatest-upheaval-180989425/The so-called “Conquest Man” was buried in England in 1079, just over a decade into the reign of William the Conqueror. Researchers recently analyzed the skeleton’s DNA and teeth to learn more about himMon, 31 Aug 2026 20:35:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-digitally-reconstructed-face-of-an-ancient-man-who-witnessed-englands-greatest-upheaval-180989425/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-museum-in-northern-norway-is-bringing-visitors-into-the-world-of-whales-from-life-size-orcas-to-immersive-underwater-exhibits-180989421/Opening in 2027, The Whale will explore the science, behavior, evolution and cultural history of whales through art, storytelling, sound and architectureMon, 31 Aug 2026 17:57:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-museum-in-northern-norway-is-bringing-visitors-into-the-world-of-whales-from-life-size-orcas-to-immersive-underwater-exhibits-180989421/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-steal-3000-year-old-treasure-in-a-super-professional-museum-heist-that-took-only-four-minutes-180989418/Officials were shaken after dozens of ancient artifacts vanished from the local archaeological museum in Villena, Spain. The thieves left only a few pieces from the Bronze Age treasure behindMon, 31 Aug 2026 17:11:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-steal-3000-year-old-treasure-in-a-super-professional-museum-heist-that-took-only-four-minutes-180989418/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/emily-wilson-will-completely-re-translate-homers-odyssey-after-calling-christopher-nolan-blockbuster-film-abysmal-180989423/Nearly a decade after her acclaimed first translation was released, Wilson is taking a fresh approach to Homer's ancient Greek epicMon, 31 Aug 2026 16:21:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/emily-wilson-will-completely-re-translate-homers-odyssey-after-calling-christopher-nolan-blockbuster-film-abysmal-180989423/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/would-you-eat-a-cookie-made-from-upcycled-plastics-scientists-propose-a-new-way-to-deal-with-waste-and-provide-food-in-extreme-environments-180989413/A team of researchers programmed yeast to turn broken-down plastic and agricultural waste into sweet treats called µBites. They might come in handy during deep-space missions or in disaster zones, although some critics say the food is impracticalMon, 31 Aug 2026 15:42:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/would-you-eat-a-cookie-made-from-upcycled-plastics-scientists-propose-a-new-way-to-deal-with-waste-and-provide-food-in-extreme-environments-180989413/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-in-denmark-discover-rare-fragments-of-1300-year-old-clothing-preserved-inside-viking-age-grave-180989419/Researchers found the textile traces on a pair of metal brooches. When the accessories corroded, they released metallic salts that inadvertently preserved the fabric for centuriesMon, 31 Aug 2026 14:52:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-in-denmark-discover-rare-fragments-of-1300-year-old-clothing-preserved-inside-viking-age-grave-180989419/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-newly-discovered-fuzzy-fish-species-named-after-mr-snuffleupagus-from-sesame-street-180988774/The ghost pipefish's scruffy appearance probably helps it look like floating algae, allowing it to blend in with its environment. Researchers had been on the hunt for this strange creature for years after first spotting one more than two decades agoMon, 31 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-newly-discovered-fuzzy-fish-species-named-after-mr-snuffleupagus-from-sesame-street-180988774/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-launches-to-find-exoplanets-and-unravel-mysteries-of-dark-matter-and-dark-energy-180989268/The new observatory will complete three surveys of the universe in five years, although it's designed to function at least twice as long. Its data could change scientists' basic understanding of the cosmosSun, 30 Aug 2026 11:26:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-launches-to-find-exoplanets-and-unravel-mysteries-of-dark-matter-and-dark-energy-180989268/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/forests-didnt-fare-well-during-an-ancient-global-warming-event-offering-a-cautionary-tale-about-todays-climate-change-180989353/An intense global warming event 56 million years ago caused a forest in modern-day Wyoming to lose around 60 percent of its canopy cover, and it took more than 100,000 years to bounce back, a study suggestsFri, 28 Aug 2026 18:43:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/forests-didnt-fare-well-during-an-ancient-global-warming-event-offering-a-cautionary-tale-about-todays-climate-change-180989353/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/deep-inside-spanish-cave-roman-women-may-have-worshipped-mysterious-goddess-180989414/Best known for its Paleolithic art, Valencia’s Cova de les Dones also contains a Roman sanctuary where researchers say women appear to have played an active role in the worship of a female deityFri, 28 Aug 2026 18:43:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/deep-inside-spanish-cave-roman-women-may-have-worshipped-mysterious-goddess-180989414/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/historical-pollution-not-current-industrial-emissions-damaged-worlds-largest-oldest-collection-ancient-rock-art-180989416/Researchers say that past exposure to sulfur dioxide is likely to blame for the increased porosity of the Murujuga rock art created by the Ngarda-Ngarli people tens of thousands of years agoFri, 28 Aug 2026 18:04:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/historical-pollution-not-current-industrial-emissions-damaged-worlds-largest-oldest-collection-ancient-rock-art-180989416/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-star-orbits-our-galaxys-heart-at-a-record-breaking-speed-and-could-help-uncover-secrets-about-the-behemoth-black-hole-there-180989393/The speedster travels at up to 56 million miles per hour, or about 8 percent the speed of light. It also gets very close to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky WayFri, 28 Aug 2026 15:45:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-star-orbits-our-galaxys-heart-at-a-record-breaking-speed-and-could-help-uncover-secrets-about-the-behemoth-black-hole-there-180989393/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-landlord-found-a-peculiar-print-hanging-in-a-vacant-apartment-it-turned-out-to-be-an-original-picasso-print-that-had-been-missing-for-eight-years-180989417/When "Torero" vanished from a Milwaukee art gallery in 2018, the owners didn't know whether they'd ever see it again. The man who found the etching turned it over to the police earlier this monthFri, 28 Aug 2026 15:37:31 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-landlord-found-a-peculiar-print-hanging-in-a-vacant-apartment-it-turned-out-to-be-an-original-picasso-print-that-had-been-missing-for-eight-years-180989417/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-fruit-is-scarce-these-monkeys-hunt-animals-the-behavior-may-offer-clues-about-the-origins-of-humans-meat-eating-habits-180989412/The bearded capuchins of northeastern Brazil typically eat plant-based foods, but they turn to small vertebrates when those sources are limited. Our ancestors may have done the same, eventually allowing predatory behaviors to be more frequently passed on in our lineageFri, 28 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-fruit-is-scarce-these-monkeys-hunt-animals-the-behavior-may-offer-clues-about-the-origins-of-humans-meat-eating-habits-180989412/